


Rose-Scented Sheets

by Anna_B



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, College AU, F/M, Gen, Infidelity, Multi, Romance, Threesome, implied ronnie/caitlin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 23:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15739482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anna_B/pseuds/Anna_B
Summary: AU - When Barry's critical college girlfriend suggests a threesome to spice up their love life, he's wary. Even more so when Iris West enters their bedroom, and he begins to fall for her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first fic. I've read a lot though, so hopefully that will help. This was inspired mostly by liquidheartbeats' 'Life with Savitar' series and a few gif sets I saw on tumblr. Unsure if actual infidelity will take place in this fic, but it's definitely possible. Endgame will be westallen. Let me know what you think!

The shuddering groan came in sync with her shrieking cry of ecstasy, and he collapsed on top of her sideways. She pushed him a little, so he’d topple onto his back on the bed beside her as she reached for her glass of water.

“Good God, Barry,” she muttered, taking a sip. When she looked back over at him and found the bewildered look on his face, she grinned and snuggled close to him. She tapped her finger on his chin before kissing him. “That was fantastic.”

His sappy smile made it hard to kiss, but he managed it a few more times before pulling away.

“Yeah?” he asked, never immune to his girlfriend’s compliments.

“Mhmm.” She paused, pretending to think for a long while.

“What?” his brows furrowed, concerned. “What is it?” Suddenly the bliss inside him was a lot more panicked.

Her eyes met his again, sparkling, mischievous.

Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

“It’s nothing _bad_ ,” she said, smoothing her hand down his chest in a seductive manner.

“Then what is it?”

“I just think…given how good you are in the sack now…”

He blushed slightly. “Becky.”

“We should step things up a bit.”

His eyes flashed up to hers. “What do you mean?”

“Take things to the next level,” she informed him cheerily.

He tried for a while to interpret that, but he still couldn’t. Becky was a wild one, and she liked to play coy, liked to keep him guessing too. Sometimes he loved that about her. Right now it was giving him anxiety.

“You mean, like, another Mexican restaurant?” he asked. He hoped. But he knew it was wrong.

She laughed, then snorted.

“No, honey. I think I’ve tried all the spicy food in three counties. Unless there’s a new joint coming to town, we may have to take an airplane to find something worth paying for.”

He smiled weakly.

“I’m talking about sex.”

Red rose from his neck to his forehead and everywhere in between.

“I just thought you said I was good.”

“ _Fantastic_ ,” she corrected.

“Right.” He cleared his throat and avoided eye contact. “Doesn’t that mean then that I…” He swallowed hard. “…satisfy you?”

“You _do_ , babe, you do.”

“Well then…?”

“Come on, now, every couple wants to spice things up to keep their sex life interesting.”

“But I thought-”

“I was thinking, threesome.”

He nearly choked.

“ _What_?” he wheezed.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about it.”

“I haven’t!”

“Barry-”

“Becky, you’re the only one I want.”

“But before me? When you were still single? You had to have fantasized about more than one girl in your bed.”

“Girl?”

“Or guy.” She shrugged. Her lips formed a perfect ‘o’. “Are you-”

“No, no, I’m straight. I’m straight!”

“Okay, okay,” she laughed. “Don’t get your boxers in a bunch. There’s no shame in being bi. Or gay for that matter.” She grabbed his chin and shook it lightly from side to side. “I’d love you no matter what.”

“But if I was gay, we couldn’t be together,” he said, his words slurring together due to her grip on his face.

She smiled, released him, then patted his cheek.

“Good thing you’re not then.”

She said nothing after that, only pulled the covers off of her bare legs and moved her feet to the floor. In minutes she was dressed, shimmying into her skinny dreams and the black tank with the sparkly gold lettering. Her messy, blonde hair brushed her shoulder as she zipped and buttoned her pants. Then she slipped into her flats and turned to look at him.

“You’re leaving?”

All his frustration at their recent development suddenly dissipated at the thought of having to spend the night in a cold bed again.

“I shouldn’t even be here,” she said, leaning over to press a kiss to his frowning lips. Then she walked around the bed and opened the window.

“Becky, I wish you wouldn’t-”

“See you at breakfast!” And then she jumped over the ledge of his window onto the outside grounds of the first floor of his dormitory.

He didn’t know how she managed the two-story jump without breaking her legs. He’d never actually seen her do it because he’d only ever gotten to the window by the time she was already down. But she was never injured, and she was always with a smile on her face when she waved at him after he came to see if she was okay.

He didn’t do that tonight though. Well, he did go to the window a few minutes later, just to close it. She was long gone by then. His mind was spinning. She wanted a threesome? After she’d just told them the sex was great? Wasn’t that kind of a…contradiction?

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, stepping into his boxers before coming back to bed. He turned to look at the barely sipped glass of water with Becky’s lip prints on it and the water still rippling from when she’d set it down.

Becky was great. She was smart and beautiful, and she had approached _him_ the year before on his second day of freshmen orientation. She thought he was cute and heard he could sing. It was a good month before she managed to get him drunk enough to do the latter, but once she had she seemingly couldn’t get enough of him.

He hadn’t been very popular in high school – understatement of the century – so she was the one who took his virginity. She burst into giggles periodically during it, sufficiently making him feel like a failure. But then she found him right away the next day and asked if he wanted to do it again. He’d gawked – especially since they’d been in the middle of a crowded hallway at the time – and flat out said no. He was done with saying yes to her if she was going to make him feel this way, even if she was the most popular, most beautiful girl in school – and a junior at that.

His rejection didn’t thwart her. It never did. She simply grabbed his hand, pulled him into an empty classroom, locked the door, kept the lights off and pushed him against the wall where she proceeded to give him the first and best blow job of his life.

“I don’t care if you’re bad at it,” she said afterwards. “You’ll get better.” She zipped him up, stood to her feet, and patted his cheek. “I’ll teach you.”

His friends said he was so lucky. _Becky Cooper wanted to date him_ , wanted to have _sex_ with him, and all he had to do was let her. And he had to admit, when she wasn’t making fun of him, she was dazzling to watch. Her smile gave him butterflies. Her laugh – again when not making fun of him – was like honey. Her smarts were impeccable, and man if her singing voice wasn’t the most beautiful he’d ever heard.

Beyond her hurtful gests, he just knew there was the soul of an angel hiding somewhere beneath. He’d been determined to find that wounded soul in need of comfort since the moment she asked him out. The biggest let down of her first love confession was that he hadn’t found her yet. He said I love you back because he believed it was true. But something always felt like it was missing. He wondered if he’d ever find the real Becky he swore existed beneath the charm and the sexual appetite of a lion.

Not that he was complaining. He didn’t know what the norm was but coming over four to five times a week for sex was pretty great. When he wasn’t so focused on pleasuring her, he could let himself enjoy how intent she was on pleasuring him. He hated locker room talk personally, and he never engaged in, but the guys gossiping about how good she must be in bed weren’t lying. He didn’t have any previous experience, but he knew he’d never felt anything like this before. He couldn’t imagine fantasizing about anyone but her when it came to sex. She was perfect.

His phone vibrated on the table. He grabbed it before the vibration made it and the glass of water fall to the floor.

“Cisco?”

It was midnight. He didn’t understand what he was still doing up.

“How’d it go?”

“Uh…” He couldn’t remember if he’d told him Becky was coming over or not. “Good. Great.”

“So…can I come in?”

He blinked. _Oh, right._

He wasn’t the only one with a complicated relationship. Cisco had been dating Lisa Snart on and off for the past four months. There were long stretches where he wouldn’t come back to the room except to grab his books for classes and a change of clothes.

At any rate, the last two days Cisco had been coming by the room. Usually it was after Becky had left. Tonight she’d stayed later.

“Yeah, she’s gone, Cisco.”

The call ended, and the door opened moments later. Footsteps approached and then Cisco’s head was peeking through his open doorway.

“You decent?”

Barry scooted up till his back was resting against the wall. He shrugged.

“I’m covered.”

Cisco came fully into view and walked into the room a little.

“So it was good,” he said.

Barry nodded. “Just like it always is.”

Cisco frowned. “It doesn’t sound like it was good for you.”

“She said I was fantastic.”

Cisco shoved his hands into his pockets and walked to the end of the bed.

“You don’t sound fantastic either.”

He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall.

“I don’t know what I am.”

Cisco was silent for a while, and then, “You’re not happy.”

“I am,” Barry said quietly.

Cisco snorted. “Bro, it’s me.” Barry looked at him. “You’re not talking to Ralph who wants to know every detail of your sex life with Becky and congratulates you every time you fuck.”

Barry was slightly rattled by Cisco’s curt language, but he understood the reason for it.

“I actually _care_ about you.”

“Ralph…cares.”

Cisco raised his eyebrows.

“He…it...” He abandoned the cause. It was exhausting trying to make a case for his friend’s humanity. “This isn’t about _Ralph_ , Cisco.”

“Then what is it about?”

He sighed, resigned. “Becky wants to spice things up.”

Cisco frowned. “I thought you said she thought you were fantastic tonight.”

“She did.”

“…then?”

“I guess that was just proof to her that we need to do more. She wants to do a threesome.”

Cisco’s eyes bulged.

“Yeah. That was pretty much my reaction.”

He was still gawking when he asked, “With who?”

Barry shook his head, then looked at him.

“Damned if I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally wrote Barry's gf as Linda until I realized I was being a bit mean to her characterization, so I switched it to Becky. If you see anything resembling Linda (aside from the spicy food mention) - i.e. dark hair or the name 'Linda', please let me know, so I can fix it!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gushing over this chapter. It's a little different than I had initially planned, but I think it's so good. Thank you for everyone that reviewed the previous chapter. It means so much to me. I hope you'll continue to like the story with each update. I'll try to post a new one every week. :D

The next morning Barry made a lame-ass excuse to not meet Becky for breakfast.

When he hung up with her, he felt Cisco’s eyes on him across the room.

“You feel a bit…faint?” he mocked.

Barry’s eyes narrowed. He deliberately set his phone back down on the bed side table.

Cisco casually walked over to him.

“Maybe…you had an early class or you have some extra homework you need to catch up on, or heck, you could’ve even complained that I wasn’t spending enough time with you. But no.” He sat down on the edge of Barry’s bed. “You feel a bit _faint_.”

“Argh.” Barry grabbed his pillow, put it over his face, and turned toward the wall. “Leave me alone.”

“You know…if you don’t want to do the threesome with Becky, just tell her you don’t want to do it.”

Barry laughed sardonically into his pillow, then lifted his head.

“Telling Becky ‘no’ is just asking for trouble, and you _know_ it.”

Cisco knew. He was just trying to give good friendly advice. Which he should’ve known would apply to everyone except Becky Cooper.

He patted Barry’s leg, then stood up.

“Well, come on then, faint boy. Let’s go get some breakfast while you think of how to turn your girlfriend off this idea of a threesome.”

Barry sprung up as Cisco started to walk away.

“Cisco, I just said-” He paused, frowning. “Wait, I can’t go out for breakfast.”

Cisco turned to face him. He raised his eyebrows. “Why not?”

Barry scoffed. “Because if Becky sees me, she’ll know I was lying to her, and there will be hell to pay later.”

Cisco contemplated that. “So…let’s not stay on campus. Let’s go into the city. To Jitters. You used to like that place, right?”

Barry pulled back his covers. “I used to study there in high school.”

Cisco blinked.

Barry was unthwarted and simply shrugged off the judgy gaze.

“Hey, the place has comfortable chairs, lots of table space, and endless caffeine if you have the money to pay for it. Plus, it’s open late and has free wi-fi.”

“And did you have the money to pay for it?”

Barry stilled halfway through pulling on some jeans.

“Some of the time,” he said sheepishly.

“And the rest of the time?” Cisco asked.

Barry met his eyes and glared. “Why are you grilling me?”

Cisco held up his hands in surrender. “Relax. I’m just curious.” He shook his head and muttered as he reached for his own clothes.

Barry was silent for a while as they both got dressed then finally spoke up.

“Some of the baristas took pity on me,” he admitted.

Cisco looked over his shoulder. “Your adorable puppy eyes got you free coffee?” he teased, pouting his lips.

“The dark circles under my eyes got me free coffee,” Barry corrected. “And only some of the time.”

“Oh, yeah? And what was so special about those times that you were granted free beverages.”

A blush started to spread over Barry’s skin, from his neck to the top of his forehead, making Cisco more curious than ever.

“Barry.” He walked towards him, now fully dressed.

“It’s-It’s nothing.” He refused to look at him.

“Who was it?”

Barry gulped.

“Or…who was _she_?”

Barry’s eyes flashed to his best friend’s, his jaw dropping.

“ _What_?” he squeaked. “Why…why would you think it was a she?”

Cisco looked at him knowingly. “Because you’re straight.”

Barry babbled for a bit before regaining control of his lips.

“Everyone has crushes in high school,” he muttered under his breath.

“Ha.” Cisco moved to dig out some money from another pair of jeans. “You sure she didn’t like you back if she put money out of her own pocket into the register just so you could have some extra fuel to get your homework done? For all she knew, you could have gone there just to see her.”

Barry avoided his gaze when he turned around, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Oh, my God.”

“No, no, it’s not like that!” he insisted.

Cisco snorted. “Right.”

“I really was there to study!”

“Okay, coffee boy.” He slipped on his shoes and headed for the door.

“Cisco!” Barry reached him in two steps.

 _Curse him and his long legs_ , Cisco thought to himself.

He looked back at him.

“You ready?”

“Uh…”

Barry felt around in his pockets and realized even though he was fully dressed, he hadn’t thought to grab any money. He wasn’t even sure if he currently had any. Becky had taken to buying everything for him.

Cisco laughed and shook his head. _The irony_.

“I’ll pay you back, Cisco, I swear.”

He snorted and opened the door. “Maybe your girlfriend will be there to pay you off.”

Barry’s eyes widened. “You really think Becky will-”

He stopped abruptly two steps into the hall and turned to face him. Barry gasped.

“Iris is _not_ my girlfrie-”

Cisco smiled slowly. “ _Iris_ , huh?”

Barry paled, terror igniting on his face.

Cisco rolled his eyes and continued down the hall, not moving too fast at first so Barry could lock the door behind them.

“I’m just messing with you, Bartholomew. She probably doesn’t even work there anymore. I’ll pay your way.”

Barry exhaled in relief. “Thank you, Cisco. I owe you.”

Cisco stopped again and pointed a finger mere inches away from his face.

“This time.”

Barry gulped and nodded. “Noted.”

Cisco sighed and turned around. Neither said a word as they stepped into the elevator, and Cisco pressed the button for the first floor.

“You really don’t think she’ll be there?” Barry asked once they were on the bus, clearly worried.

Cisco glanced over him, saw the genuine concern, and rid himself of his impatience.

“I think it’s highly unlikely.”

…

Barry’s jaw fell open two steps into Jitters. Without even seeing it, Cisco knew what his friend’s sudden halt meant. His lips twisted ruefully.

“I said _highly_ unlikely. I didn’t say _impossible_.”

Barry didn’t respond in annoyance to his friend’s miscalculation. In fact, when Cisco did turn to look at him, he found he was absolutely spellbound by the woman he was staring at across the room.

“She’s _beautiful_ , isn’t she?”

Cisco followed his gaze once again, and nodded.

“She’s hot, for sure.”

That annoyed Barry, as Cisco had intended. He turned to face him.

“You could date her instead of Becky.”

Barry sputtered. “I couldn’t.”

Cisco frowned. “Why not?”

“B-b-because. Just… _look_ _at her_.” He gestured wildly.

Cisco pulled him aside as more people started to come into the shop behind them.

“Becky’s beautiful too,” he informed him. “Or have you forgotten already?”

Barry sighed. “Becky’s pretty,” he said. “But she doesn’t hold a candle to…God, I haven’t seen her in so long…” He walked further into the coffee shop, drawn to the woman who’d held his fancy in high school – and apparently now too – like a magnet. “She’s so…”

Cisco grabbed Barry’s arm again and forced him into a booth before he could make a fool of himself.

“Two years tops is how long it’s been.”

Barry looked at him. He blinked. “Two years is a long time.”

Cisco smiled, amused. “Not as long as you’re acting it’s been.”

Barry opened his mouth to speak, but Cisco raised his hand to interrupt him.

“You can make your excuses later. I’m going to get us some coffee.”

“I’ll come wi-”

“No,” Cisco commanded before Barry could slide out of the booth. “You will stay right here. I’ll get the coffee.”

“But-”

“Do you want something to eat too?”

Barry’s face cleared. “You’re buying me food?”

“If you stay here, I’ll get you anything you want.”

“O-Okay.”

Cisco rolled his eyes. “O-Okay, what? Croissant? Muffin? Breakfast sandwich?”

“Lemon poppyseed muffin,” he said.

“That’s specific.”

Barry shrugged his shoulders, folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his seat.

“You asked.”

Cisco sighed and shook his head.

“You’re right. I have no one to blame but myself.”

“Wait, Cisco!” he called out as his friend headed for the counter.

“What?”

“What coffee are you getting me?”

“Decaf. And don’t you argue with me!” He pointed at him.

Barry’s objections fell flat, and he nodded, trusting that his friend knew best.

It probably wasn’t wise for him to be in the direct vicinity of his high school crush. She was absolutely stunning, and he had a girlfriend. Even if he’d never have the nerve to ask Iris out, it wasn’t a good idea to act like he wanted to.

He took a risk though and glanced over at the counter. He watched her as she took one customer’s orders after another, how she took cash and credit cards and handed back any change necessary. He saw that brilliant smile of her – man, it was still so breathtaking. And her hair tucked behind her ears was both adorable and impossibly sexy, as was the form-fitting apron wrapped around her waist. He could just barely see the fabric of the shirt and pants she wore underneath. He didn’t doubt one bit that he’d end up choking on his own breath if he saw her with that apron off.

He turned back to the table, telling himself to relax, to forget her presence just across the room.

Unfortunately for him, the distraction came in the form of a lanky, annoying individual with a cheeky grin and always smarmy intentions.

“Hello, Allen. You’re looking rather _faint_ today.”

Barry felt the world crumbling around him. _Becky knew_. She had to have seen him leaving campus shortly after their call. And puppy dog that he was for her, she’d sent his least favorable friend to track him down and find out why her boyfriend had lied to her.

“Hello, Ralph.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting last week! Life got crazy! Hope you enjoy this one. :)

He was a deer caught in the headlights, and he knew it. Luckily for Barry, Cisco returned with their respective orders before he had a chance to speak. Unluckily for him, Ralph snatched the lemon poppyseed muffin he’d so been looking forward to and took a big bite out of it before he had a chance to even reach for it.

Barry’s mouth hung open, devastation evident on his face. Cisco stood watching the display in equal shock.

“Oh, was that yours?” Ralph asked around a mouthful of the moist pastry, looking as innocent as a snake.

“What are you doing here, Ralph?” Cisco asked, taking a seat beside Barry who reluctantly scooted over.

Ralph directed his attention to the new comer and set the muffin back in front of Barry, who now looked at with disgust.

“Nice to see you too, Ramon.”

Cisco waited. Ralph rolled his eyes. Cisco answered just as Ralph opened his mouth to speak.

“Let me guess. Becky sent you.”

Ralph looked to Cisco then to Barry and back to Cisco.

“Were you the reason he skipped out on breakfast with her this morning and _lied_ about being sick?”

“Are you our friend or her messenger pigeon?”

Ralph scoffed and leaned back in the booth.

“Shouldn’t we all be on the same page?”

“You’re supposed to be Barry’s friend first, Ralph. What happens if they break-up? Are you ditching us to be Becky’s lapdog?”

Ralph narrowed his eyes dangerously. “Watch it, Ramon.”

“Or what?” Cisco spat. “You going to beat me to a pulp in the middle of a crowded coffee shop?”

Ralph opened his mouth, then closed it. He folded his arms across his chest and brooded. Cisco rolled his eyes, then looked at Barry who was still staring at his ruined muffin.

“You want me to get you another one?” he whispered.

“Oh, for the love of-” Ralph threw up his hands.

“No, no, it’s fine.” Barry cleared his throat and handed the muffin back to Ralph. “Eat it.”

Ralph took it immediately and consumed another large bite. “Don’t mind if I do.”

“You’re a dick,” Cisco spat.

“Mm…” Ralph licked his lips to get the crumbs off his face. “I have a dick. Larger than yours, I’m sure – larger than either of yours. In fact –”

“Oh, shut up, Ralph,” Barry burst, causing both the men to zero in on him, wide-eyed. “You want to know why I ditched Becky for breakfast this morning?”

“Barry,” Cisco warned.

“That’s all I’m here for,” Ralph said, taking another big bite.

“Oh, you mean you’re not here for the pleasure of our company?” Cisco snarled. Ralph didn’t respond to that.

Barry brushed him off. “Last night Becky asked me a question. I didn’t have an answer then, and I don’t have one now. If I’d have gone to breakfast with her, she would have wanted one.”

Ralph looked at him like he was an alien.

“Why didn’t you just tell her that instead of making up an excuse?”

Barry wanted to say ‘you know how Becky can be’, but he held back. Ralph didn’t know how she could be, because Becky had brainwashed him into thinking she was perfect. So, instead he shrugged.

“I needed to think things over on my own before I decided to talk to her.”

Ralph blew the blonde bangs out of his face.

“I don’t understand what could be so life-altering that you couldn’t face her this morning. You are the luckiest guy in the world that she even wants to be with you.”

Oh, here we go again…

“Thanks, pal.”

“I’m just saying.” He shrugged. “Don’t mess this thing up.” He leaned forward, done with the muffin. “What was the question anyway?”

“That’s personal,” Cisco answered for him.

Ralph threw his hands up. “We’re all friends here. Hoes before bros and all that.” He paused, suddenly confused. “Wait.”

“No, I think you got it right,” Cisco said. “For _you_.”

“Now, wait just a-”

“She wants to have a threesome!” Barry said, grateful that just the couple booths next to them overheard and not the whole coffee shop. Ralph and Cisco were blindsided once again.

“A wha-” Ralph appeared to be gasping for air. He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around it. “Don’t tell me you said no.” He gawked. “You’d have to be an idiot to-”

“I didn’t say anything,” Barry seethed. “That’s why I’m here. Thinking about it.”

Ralph scoffed. “What’s to think about? Banging Becky and _another_ hot chick?” A thought occurred to him. “Wait.” He looked around the room. “Are you here…” He looked back at them. “Looking for the prospective third party?”

“Gross,” Cisco said. Ralph ignored him.

“No,” Barry said, equally grossed out. “I’m here to think. Cisco agreed to come with.”

“And pay for your food,” he added, then slanted a glare at Ralph. “That I expected you to eat.”

“I only took one bite!” Ralph defended. “It was his choice to give me the rest.”

“Ugh.” Cisco groaned then turned to Barry. “Can we leave now?”

Barry sighed.

“Fine, fine, I can see when I’m not wanted.” Ralph made to leave. “But you better tell Becky what’s up, Allen. Before I do.”

“Ralph, please don’t,” he begged. “I just need some time.”

Ralph shook his head in disbelief. “Time to consider a threesome. I can’t even…”

He started to walk away, not looking back even as Barry called after him.

“Don’t,” Cisco told him. “Just…I’ll get you another muffin. We’ll eat in peace, and then we’ll go. Hopefully by the time you see Becky, she’ll have cooled down and Ralph will have kept this bit of news to himself for once.”

“You think he will?”

Cisco didn’t look too hopeful.

“Oh, God.” Barry put his face in his hands. “I should’ve just-”

“Hey, boys, you look like maybe you could use some more coffee.”

Barry stilled, his crazed emotions briefly put on standby. He knew that voice. He would recognize it anywhere. Slowly, he looked up and saw her.

“I-Iris?” he gasped.

She blinked, confused, then glanced down at her nametag. “Oh. Right.” She laughed. “Sometimes I forget I have this thing on. Customers rarely call me by name.”

Barry gulped.

“We’re good on our coffee, thanks,” Cisco interjected.

Iris glanced across the table. “I…uh, couldn’t help but notice you didn’t get a bite of your muffin,” she remarked wryly.

“You were watching us?” tumbled out of Barry’s mouth before he could stop it.

It was her turn to be speechless.

“Uh…uh, no. I mean…” She cleared her throat. “We just…no one was up front when your friend came by, and ah…you were just in my line of vision is all.”

Barry couldn’t look away. Meanwhile, Iris was having difficulty maintaining eye contact, much more flustered than she’d been when she first arrived.

“I can come to the counter and pay for another,” Cisco volunteered to break the silence.

Iris turned to him. “Oh, no need. It’s on me.” A pause. “My co-worker is treating me for lunch, so I don’t need the extra cash I brought,” she explained. “Just…give me a minute. I’ll be right back.”

Cisco’s mouth was hanging open as she left. Finally he turned to Barry while Iris was still gone. He grinned, amused.

“What?” Barry asked, annoyed when he recognized the smug expression.

“I guess some things never change,” he teased.

Barry swatted at him, narrowly avoiding spilling both their drinks.

…

Heading separate ways for different classes, Barry ended up in front of their dorm first. He was seconds away from scanning his card to open the door when the voice he’d been dreading sounded off just a few feet away.

“Were you planning on avoiding me indefinitely, Barry?”

He turned to see her, all honey-blonde shoulder-length hair and brilliant blue eyes, curvy in all the right places with a smile that stopped any man who saw her dead in their tracks. But she wasn’t smiling right now. She wasn’t attempting to be charming. No, she was pissed off, though she displayed it with a calm and cool that was downright unsettling.

He wondered if making a run for it would be worth it, but he knew already it wouldn’t. She had run track and cross country in high school and was doing both now at the school. On top of that, he was a lousy runner. Twenty minutes to “run” the mile was the fastest he’d ever come. Even at short distances, there was no way he’d outrun her, and that would just put him in more trouble.

“Of course not, Becky.”

She walked up to him, arms folded.

“Just a little bit longer then?”

He held back a sigh, pursed his lips, and tried to come up with a good excuse.

She smacked the back of his head first.

“What the hell is wrong with you? I suggest a threesome, and you run for the hills? Most guys would kill-”

“You mean Ralph?”

She blinked, then sobered up. “I didn’t specify anyone, sweetie.” She reached to put her hand on his face, but he pulled back before she could.

“What is this?” she demanded. “Are you breaking up with me?”

“ _What_?” The question blindsided him. “No, of course not. I just needed time, Becky.” He placed his hands on her arms to reassure her. “Time I didn’t think you were gonna give me.”

She snorted. “I didn’t think you were gonna need it.”

He dropped his hands and narrowed his eyebrows. “You sound a lot like Ralph.”

She threw up her hands. “I don’t get it, Barry. What about a threesome throws you?” She planted her hands on her hips. “It’s not like another guy is gonna be involved, so there’s not reason for you to get jealous. And before you point out that a girl is just as likely to draw my fancy, don’t. I haven’t been involved with a girl in over five years. I prefer guys. You know that.”

He didn’t say anything, just nodded. She’d only be annoyed with him if he pointed out that he hadn’t known _any_ of what she’d just shared about herself. He hadn’t known she was bi or had been in a relationship with a girl or how long ago it had been or that her preference was with guys. None of it. There were rumors that went around naturally, ranging from what a slut she was to how everyone wanted her, and she must be respected and glorified at all costs. It was hard to know what to believe.

Slowly, she walked up to him, right in his line of vision so he was forced out of his thoughts. He didn’t stop her when she drew her finger from the top of his shirt to the waistband of his pants.

“This is supposed to be something _fun_ ,” she whispered, pulling his collar down so she could kiss the skin showing there. “Not something…” She sighed. “Stressful.”

He sighed. “I don’t understand you, Becky. One minute you say I’m great in bed, and the next you say we need another person in our bed in order for it to be good.”

She placed two of her fingers over his lips.

“Okay, first of all, you’re not meant to understand me, Babe. Where’s the allure in dating a woman you know everything about?” He tried to protest, but she continued. “And second, I never said we needed another person in our bed because you weren’t cutting it for me.”

She pulled him down his collar and pressed a warm, sweet kiss that instantly increased his heartrate when she stuck her tongue in his mouth. For a moment he caved to the intoxicating sensation that was being kissed by Becky Cooper.

She pulled away a little to whisper into his ear.

“I said you were _fantastic_ , remember?”

He nodded slightly. “Yeah…I remember.”

She pulled back and held his face in her hands, clutching tightly.

“Then you’re fantastic, dumbass.” She let go, then patted the side of his face. “Don’t overthink it.”

“Right,” he muttered to himself as she let her arms fall to her sides.

“Now are you going to invite me in or what?”

He hesitated. “I don’t know, Becky…I really have to get some studying done tonight.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Buuut I guess I can put that off for a few more hours.”

She smiled brightly. “There’s my boy.” She linked her arm through his and tugged at him in the direction of the door. “Lead the way, handsome. We better going if you still want to get some shut-eye tonight.” She winked.

 _More sex_. He resisted yet another sigh and another eye roll.

He should be thrilled. He should be _thrilled_.

But he couldn’t help thinking how a simple conversation would be better than another romp in his bed with Becky before dinner time. She was right in that there was an allure to mystery and simply being in awe of someone. But more than that he longed for a true connection, of the emotional kind, not just the physical. He wasn’t going to get that with Becky if the only depth he got with her was his dick being lodged into her vagina.

He thought back to his unexpected interaction with Iris earlier that day, how flustered she’d been when she’d been caught red-handed spying on them from afar. He’d been so stunned and found her so adorable as she tried to talk her way out of it. He couldn’t look away. The conversation hadn’t been deep. If anything, it alternated between being awkward for each of them. But the gesture was sweet, and it was a welcome reprieve from Ralph’s interference. It warmed his insides in a way he couldn’t ever remember Becky doing.

“You sure you don’t want to date her?” Cisco had asked when she left.

He brushed it off instantly. “I have a _girlfriend_ , Cisco.”

But Becky wasn’t helping his predicament. Maybe if she started treating him more like a boyfriend and less like a fuck buddy she owned, then he would feel more guilty about how he’d felt concerning everything Iris West that day.

“Have you thought about who you want the lucky lady to be?” Becky asked about an hour later in bed.

 _So, I guess we’re officially doing the threesome thing_ , he thought, resigned. He made no attempt to fix the assumption. There was no point.

“Well, there is this girl I saw today…” he said, then stopped abruptly, his eyes widening when he realized who he was thinking of.

 _Shit. Shit. Shit. No. No. No. You can_ **not** _ask Iris West to- No. Stop. Make up an excuse. Anything else. Any_ **one** _else. Just…don’t go there, Barry Allen._

“Oh?” Becky asked, propping herself up on his chest. “Who?”

His mouth hung open. His brain couldn’t compute. His voice box refused to function.

“If it’s a complete stranger, which it should be, you probably don’t know her name, right?”

He wished he could shake his head, close his mouth – anything.

“She’s pretty though, right?”

“Yeah.” _Not that_. He cursed himself.

“As pretty as me?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

“Prettier.”

He realized his blunder immediately, instantly stuttering his defense.

“I-I didn’t mean that, Becky. No one is as pretty as y-”

She laughed and sat up, leaning back against the wall.

“Relax, Barry. You’re allowed to have crushes.”

He blinked, his brows furrowing. “I am?”

“Of course. I have plenty. You’re not the most attractive guy I’ve dated, I assure you.”

He frowned. “Then why are you dating me?”

She pinched his cheeks. “Because I love you, silly. Our relationship goes beyond the physical. It’s deeper than that.”

 _Since_ **when** _?_

“You love me too, right?” she asked, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arm around her, more confused now than ever.

“Yeah, Becky. I love you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of a filler chap, but I hope you still enjoy it. Unsure when the threesome will happen, since I'm kind of just winging this as I go, but I think I want to do more of a build-up to it, so it's more realistic coming from Iris. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and giving feedback! It means so much to me! <3

Barry plopped down into the booth across from the Cisco looking like he hadn’t slept in a week.

“You look like hell,” Cisco said bluntly.

Barry just stared across at him, not saying anything.

Cisco’s face shifted to concerned.

“It’s been a few days since I’ve seen you at the dorm.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Where’ve you been?”

He snorted. “Where do you think?”

Cisco’s furrowed brows currently smoothed over as his eyes widened.

“With Becky? This whole time?”

Barry nodded, then slumped back in his seat.

“Doesn’t she have classes too? And a job?”

Barry laughed.

“ _Apparently_ the only classes she has this week are morning ones that are over by the time I wake up and her job, which I thought was being a waitress-”

“Let me guess, it’s not?”

“Oh, no, it is.” Barry met his eyes. “She waitresses at a strip joint.”

Cisco’s jaw dropped.

“She’s been making me…go to the place every time she’s working to look for the ‘perfect third party’ to our impending threesome.” He scoffed.

“At a strip club?” Cisco wrinkled his nose. “Does she want you to get an STD?”

“She says all the girls are clean.”

“And you believe her.”

He shrugged.

“Barry-”

“I’m just trying to keep my head above water, okay?”

“But you’re missing classes. And not just…whatever, classes. Homework-is-due-exam-is-today classes. That’s not like you.”

“I know.” He sighed.

“You’re gonna end up dropping out if you keep this up.”

“I know!” He dragged his hand down his face. “This is just… She’s…”

“She’s controlling your life is what she’s doing, and you’re letting her do it.”

His eyes blazed. “It’s just this threesome thing, Cisco, okay? She’s _obsessed_ with it. Once it happens, and it’s over, then things can go back to normal.”

Cisco laughed. “Normal isn’t much better than this is.”

“At least normal didn’t involve sex twenty-four hours a day,” Barry muttered under his breath.

Cisco smirked. “Okay, so, if you’re not gonna put Becky in her place – which I’m assuming you’re not…” Barry gave him a look. “Right. Then, you’re just going to have to pick a girl.”

“One that doesn’t have an STD in her system.”

“Preferably, yeah. I don’t think your parents would be too thrilled if they found out about that.”

“They wouldn’t be thrilled about the threesome either,” he pointed out.

“You could just tell Becky no…”

“No.”

“Or break up with her…”

“ _No_.”

Cisco shook his head, uncomprehending as always Barry’s determination to not break things off with Becky.

“Okay…you could let Becky decide…given she doesn’t pick someone at the club of course.”

Barry scoffed. “Yeah, no, that’s where she’d start. She’s already pointed out several that have these frat boys surrounding them practically every time I’ve been there. I don’t care if it’s just sex. If there’s gonna be another girl in bed with us, I want one with a little more…self-respect.”

“Someone who keeps her clothes on more often?”

He shrugged.

“Okay, why don’t you try getting to know someone?”

“What, like…going on a date? Wouldn’t that be cheating?”

“Not if you tell Becky it’s research.”

“Research,” he said flatly.

“Yeah, tell her you want to find someone on your own, and you won’t know if they’re the right fit unless you get to know them a little bit first.”

“I don’t know if she’ll buy that, Cisco. Besides, I don’t want to lead a girl on only to end up telling her that I only wanted to talk to her to see if she’d be interested in a threesome. That’s…she would…I’d get slapped.”

Cisco smiled, failing to hide it beneath his hand.

“You got any better ideas?”

Barry looked away, scanning the lounge and finding it mostly empty. He knew who he was looking for, and he knew he wouldn’t find her. This wasn’t Jitters, and she didn’t go to school here. No, he wouldn’t be seeing Iris West tonight.

“Looking for someone in particular?” Cisco asked knowingly.

“What?” Barry asked, then looked back at him, a fierce blush spreading across his cheeks. “N-No. Of course not. I was just…you know…thinking.”

“About what pray tell?” He propped his chin in his hand.

Barry’s eyes narrowed. “You’re annoying.”

He laughed. “Just trying to lighten things up before you’re swept away by Poison Ivy again.”

Barry’s slouched in his seat. “Maybe I should get a coffee.”

Cisco raised his eyebrows. “Long night ahead of you?” He smirked.

“I have a test in the morning.”

“You’ve had several this week. That hasn’t stopped you from not taking them.”

Barry wrapped a hand around the back of his neck.

“I emailed the professor and told them I’d been sick all week. They said I can swing by their office tomorrow and take them.”

“So you need to study tonight then.”

“Oh yeah, big time.”

“Is Becky gonna let you?”

He nodded. “She’s got a double shift tonight apparently and said that maybe I can’t pick a girl at her place because I’ve seen them so often, and they’re all blurring together. She thinks maybe I need a few days away to see things with fresh eyes. Also, I guess a couple new girls are starting next week, and she’s sure I’ll like one of them.” He rolled his eyes.

“Wow, look at you, getting a break.”

He groaned and leaned forward, his head falling into his hands.

“Argh. I’m so tired.” He lifted his head and stared at Cisco. “And I have so…so much…I…”

He looked so helpless, like a little lost puppy. His eyes had a pinkish tint to them and there were dark circles just beneath. Cisco’s heart went out to him. For the hundredth time he wanted to demand that he break up with Becky, that she was so wrong for him, and he was blind if he didn’t see it. What was worse was he knew that way deep down, Barry knew Cisco was right. He’d never taken Becky home to meet his parents, and they’d been dating over a year. There had to be a reason for that, since he knew Becky had pushed for it several times before finally giving up.

“Okay, you know what? I’m calling in back-up.”

Barry’s brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“You need an all-nighter study session, right? But you still need to get sleep since you have a class tomorrow with another test that you need to do well on, correct?”

“Yeah…” he said, unsure of where his friend was going with us.

“Who got straight A’s all through high school and the whole time we knew her when she went here?”

Barry was still confused, but in the back of his mind he knew where Cisco was going with this.

“Who is meticulous about notes and study guides and memorization, even last minute?”

_Yep._

“Who has nothing going on right now because she overworked herself so much in her first year after graduation that she got herself a month of vacation time where she can lounge around and do literally nothing but lounge around with her husband-to-be and catalogue her vast library of scientific and medical books and magazines that she hardly looks at but is extremely proud of.”

“Cisco, no.”

Cisco smiled. “Caitlin Snow.”

Barry groaned. “ _Why_?”

Cisco’s brows narrowed. “You _like_ Caitlin.”

“Not study partner Caitlin I don’t! She…she’s…” he trailed off.

Cisco raised his eyebrows, waiting. “What?”

“She’ll _yell_ at me,” he whined.

Cisco chuckled and slipped out of the booth, pulling his phone from his pocket.

“I’ll give her a call.”

“Wait, Cisco, no-”

But Cisco was gone, still smiling at Barry’s protests. Barry was not amused.

_He’s enjoying this._

But he knew deep down that Cisco was right. He needed some emergency help asap if he wasn’t going to fail the five tests he was supposed to have taken this week, including the one scheduled for a class tomorrow. And no one did school better than their drop-in tutor, Caitlin Snow.

…

The tsk-tsk’ing falling from Caitlin’s mouth unnerved him, as it always did.

“It is a _good thing_ Cisco called me, Barry. Your notes here are incomplete and a mess.”

Barry rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“It’s been a busy week.”

“Because of Becky?”

Barry shot daggers at Cisco standing in the corner. His friend through his hands up in the air.

“He didn’t tell me anything, Barry.” Caitlin lifted her eyes to his. “You were dating her when I tutored you regularly last year. I just assumed you still were.”

Barry sunk into the couch in Caitlin Snow’s living room.

“I am.”

“And how’s that going?” she asked, her attention partially divided now that she’d resorted to creating note cards and study work sheets.

“Uh…good,” he said, hoping she wouldn’t pinpoint the off tone to his voice.

“Doesn’t sound good,” she said, scribbling away.

He shrugged. “Every relationship has its ups and downs, Caitlin.”

“Well, that’s certainly true,” she agreed, and he relaxed. “I remember the time Ronnie and I couldn’t agree on a place to eat…” She laughed to herself. “It’s amazing how people can hold the smallest things against you, even when they love you.”

She met Barry’s eyes. “Do you love Becky, Barry?” She tilted her head.

He squirmed a little. “O-Of course, I do. I love her.”

“And does she love you?”

His eyebrows narrowed. “I came here for help with my tests, Caitlin, not my love life.”

Cisco stiffened across the room, about to strut over and come to his friend’s defense. Caitlin gave him a look though, and he halted.

“You’re right, Barry.” She tossed him the work sheet she’d written up and a pen. “Fill out that one. We’ll discuss the answers you got wrong and make sure you get them right.”

He met her eyes after miraculously catching the notebook she’d written it on and the pen. He clicked the latter and took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus on what he’d told himself he was there for.

_Caitlin didn’t major in psychology. Any advice she might give could be terrible._

But he knew that wasn’t necessarily true. She hadn’t studied psychology, but her mother was a psychologist and she’d gone through plenty of counseling after the freak accident that killed her father. Plus, she had a few years on him and Cisco. A good percent of the time her advice tended to be good.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, and he realized he was still holding the pen just above the paper. He hadn’t written a thing.

He looked up at her quizzical expression.

“No, I…I’m sorry, Caitlin. I didn’t mean-”

She closed her eyes briefly, understanding.

“It’s okay, Barry. I know you’re just stressed out. Better get started on that worksheet though if we’re going to get through all the material before you need to get some shut-eye.”

“Right.”

He took a deep breath and began.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is finally here! I'm so sorry for making you guys wait so long. I really appreciate those of you who left additional reviews pushing me to update. I'm going to try to post a second chapter later tonight if I can. I hope you enjoy this one!

Iris lifted her eyes to the door when she heard the jingle as it opened for the fourth time in the last ten minutes only to be let down by a family of three walking through. She withheld a sigh as they came slowly towards the counter, taking their time deciding what they’d order. The little girl was jumping around trying to get her parents’ attention, pleading desperately for a chocolate chip cookie. Iris idly glanced over at the shelves of pastries and spotted a pile of cookies, mentally preparing herself to grab one if the child’s pleading won her parents over.

Inevitably, the three of them appeared to order. Having ignored her initially, the parents were taken completely by surprise when their little girl squeezed past them and promptly ordered her cookie. Iris gave her the full attention she sought and then glanced at her parents, raising an eyebrow and waiting for their decision on the matter. The mother sighed airily, and the father waved it off, nodding right after when the little girl’s bottom lip started to tremble. She cheered victoriously, starting to jump about when her mother promptly scolded her. She subdued herself, but the little smile shown through even as she tried to hide it. Iris was proud of her.

After the transaction had been made and the food and drinks delivered, Iris looked around the room, much as she had before, and let the sigh slip out when she could not find what – or rather whom – she was looking for.

“He hasn’t come in today,” her best friend said beside her.

Iris jumped slightly, surprised, and turned to her.

“Stacy. You scared me.” She laughed. Even she could hear it sounded a little bit forced.

“Why?” The blonde asked, amused. “Because I interrupted your search between customers?”

Iris scowled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you do,” she informed her. “It’s that guy from a week ago, right?”

“Ten days,” she muttered under her breath.

“Ten days,” Stacy corrected herself, unashamedly amused. “My bad.”

Iris rolled her eyes. “How do you even know-”

“You’re looking for the man of your dreams?”

Iris’ jaw dropped. “He is not the man of my dreams.”

“No?”

Iris scoffed. “No.”

“Well, he’s the first man to get you flustered since he-who-shall-not-be-named got the boot.”

Iris was quiet for a while, then sad softly, “I was the one who got the boot. Not…not Ed-”

“You may have been the one who got dumped, but I’m the one who gave him a piece of my mind before he left town with that white trash.”

Iris blinked, then looked at Stacy and made no effort to suppress her smile.

“What?”

“You give such a sweet impression to strangers, Stace.” She daintily pushed some hair out of her friend’s face. “Who knew you could be such a crass badass when it comes to those you care about?”

Stacy snorted and started to get to work.

“Make fun all you want, but I know deep down you love it.”

Iris laughed. “I do! It’s just such a contrast. If only people knew…”

“If only our customers knew, you mean. They expect us to be super nice. That’s how we get paid and not yelled at.”

Iris shrugged. “Still.”

“By the way, I see what you’re doing here.”

“What’s that?”

Stacy snatched a wet rag to go wash down some tables.

“You’re avoiding the subject.”

“Which is what?”

“You can’t get that boy out of your head.” Iris opened her mouth to protest but Stacy continued. “Don’t try to deny it. You couldn’t stop gushing for two full days when you recalled that five-minute conversation you two had, and now every time the bell jingles over the door you look up hopefully. I know a crush when I see one, and you’ve got that look all over your face.”

Iris scowled again, but she had no retort to shoot back at her best friend who had quickly moved out of range to wash tables.

_She was so focused on the object of her attention, she hardly noticed the blonde when she sidled up beside her._

_“You look like you’ve just seen Beyoncé live. What happened?”_

_Iris nodded towards the table she’d just departed after handing over the ‘on the house’ muffin to the newcomer._

_“He’s cute, right?”_

_Stacy glanced over at where her best friend was looking._

_“The one with the muffin,” Iris clarified._

_“I figured. The other one isn’t your type.”_

_Iris forced herself to look away from the two men and looked at her best friend._

_“How do you know what my type is? The entire time you’ve known me I was only with…” She paused, not brave enough to say his name allowed. “With my ex.”_

_Stacy shrugged. “I just know.”_

_Iris rolled her eyes and refocused back on the men – or the man that had caught her fancy in particular._

_“Are you gonna go talk to him?”_

_“I already did,” she lamented. “All he was interested in was his muffin.”_

_Stacy snorted. “I doubt that.” Iris glanced over at her curiously. “Look at yourself.”_

_Iris fought a smile. “Still. He’s a customer.”_

_“You get asked out by customers all the time. The only reason you reject them is because you’re not interested. And uh…” She looked at Iris and then back at the guy in question. “You’re definitely interested.”_

_“There is something familiar about him,” Iris commented, her lips twisting in concentration._

_“You’ve seen him before?”_

_“I don’t know. Maybe…”_

_“That’s an in, Iris. That’s a perfect way to start a conversation.”_

_“I’m working, Stace,” she sighed._

_“You’re making up excuses is what you’re doing. Go over there and ask him out.”_

_Iris gawked. “I couldn’t. No.”_

_“Because?”_

_And right then the man she’d talk to for all of five minutes had gotten up from his seat and left with his best friend._

_“Because he’s leaving, and look – new customers approach.”_

A line started to form in front of her again, and she felt justified in her past cowardice, even if in the aftermath she severely wished she had approached the awkward man who gave her fluttery feelings every time he looked her in the eye.

…

Barry burst into the dorm room, nearly bursting with excitement. Cisco nearly fell out of his chair that he’d been leaning back on. He caught himself just in time by grabbing onto the table and steadying himself.

“Jesus, Barry, what do you think you’re-”

“I aced them,” he said, ignoring his roommate’s plight.

Cisco zeroed in on the packet Barry was holding and instantly recognized it for what it was. His eyes lifted to his best friend.

“Them?” he asked, hardly daring to breathe.

Barry dumped his backpack on the floor and unzipped it, pulling out four more packets.

“All five of them, Cisco! I aced all the tests!”

Cisco snatched them out of his hands, scanned the front page of each of them and then met Barry’s eyes again.

“All five of them, oh my God, that’s great, Barry.”

Suddenly, Barry lunged, lifting Cisco up off his feet in a hug.

“S-sorry,” he apologized, laughing as he set the shorter man down. “I’m just so…I thought I was _done_ , man.”

“I know.” Cisco laughed. “Damn, what are you gonna do to thank Caitlin for this one?”

“I don’t know.” Barry shook his head, still grinning. “Something really good though. It’s only mid-semester, but I really thought I was done. It would’ve been such a slap in the face to my GPA that got me into CCU.”

“Agreed.”

Barry kept grinning, apparently not knowing how else to function.

“Well, we should go celebrate!” Cisco suggested – enthusiastically to get his best friend riled up again.

“Oh, yeah, yeah totally we should. Let me just call Becky and-”

“Dude, no.” Cisco reached for Barry’s arm. Barry looked at him confused. “Don’t call Becky.”

“But-”

“She’ll ruin this for you.” Barry scoffed, about to defend her no doubt. Cisco refused to let that happen. “She’ll ruin it, and you know it.”

“But she’ll find out I didn’t tell her, and-”

“Becky doesn’t care about your academic scores,” he said, not wanting to break Barry down but willing to do anything to avoid involving Becky tonight. “If she did, she wouldn’t have kept you out every night all night nearly missing the chance to take your tests entirely.”

Barry pursed his lips.

“Just…if she finds out, and she asks, tell her you just wanted to celebrate with me. Tell her you need time to process all the girls you’ve seen, if she complains about you not coming out for more of that. Just…come on. You had like two days Becky-free, and wasn’t it the most stress-free time of your life in the past several months?”

Barry hesitated.

“You can call Becky in the morning. Let’s have fun tonight.”

Barry grinned, unable to contain myself.

“Okay. Okay, yeah. Let’s do it.” He paused. “What were you thinking?”

Cisco pretended to think about it for a few seconds, and then – “Bowling?”

…

The place was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday night. Still, Barry would not let his enthusiasm dim. All his stress from last week had been officially set aside. Maybe it was just the two of them, but both he and Cisco were pretty amazing at bowling. They got competitive, but never in a nasty way. They gorged on concessions and played five rounds minimum. The buzz of people chatting in the room, the sound of bowling balls hitting the lane, the smell of pizza and hot pretzels and beer, the disco balls setting the bar area aglow with colors…Barry could not have been more excited. Tonight was going to be amazing.

“This was such a great idea, Cisco,” he beamed as they approached the counter.

“I know. I’m awesome like that,” he teased. Barry ignored him.

They were so pumped about the impending game that they hardly noticed when two girls approached the counter the same time as they did.

“Are you all together?” The employee asked lazily.

“Uh, no, we’re not,” Cisco started. “It’s separate.”

“Oh, my God.”

Barry and Cisco got a good look at the two women, and Barry nearly fell over.

“You’re the guy.” The blonde nudged her friend to get her attention. “Iris, it’s the-”

“ _Iris_.” Barry’s eyes widened.

He didn’t know if his night had just gotten even better or had taken a turn for the worst.

“H-hey,” she said awkwardly. “You…uh, you remember me?”

Barry nearly lost it.

“Uh, yeah, of course. I mean, you’re the waitress from Jitters right? You paid for my muffin when my friend inhaled all of it without permission.” He stopped, suddenly, wondering if he wasn't making sense. "I mean, the first one he ate, and...you bought me a second one, or...you gave it to me? I...I can't remember. Thank you though. For that." Realizing for the first time that he might be babbling, he forced himself to finish up concisely. "So, um, yeah, I remember."

Cisco closed his eyes in secondhand embarrassment, but Iris laughed good-naturedly in response to Barry's blundering.

"You're welcome. I remember you, too. Definitely."

She sounded confident, but was she…blushing? He couldn’t tell from her dark skin, but her behavior gave every indication that she was. He was dumbfounded.

The employee behind the counter cleared his throat loudly.

“So, are you guys together, or…?”

“Oh!” Iris exclaimed, switching her attention to the bored-looking kid. “Um…”

“There’s only one lane left, so…”

“Yes!” the blonde answered for all four of them. They zeroed in on her. “I mean, why should any of us have to miss out just because we came at a busy time?” She nudged Iris again, looking at her pointedly. “Right?”

“I say yes,” Cisco agreed. Stacy’s eyes met his in an excited _thank you_.

Barry’s ears were turning pink as he deliberately avoided looking at Cisco, but he made no objection. He didn’t have the slightest idea what to say without coming across rude, and also, he’d lost the ability to speak.

“Four for the last lane,” Cisco told the employee, pulling out his wallet.

“No, no, the blonde said, sliding her card across the counter with a smile. “I insist.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this chapter, especially the first scene. I hope you'll like it too!

Barry plopped into the seat beside Cisco as the girls excused themselves to go to the bathroom, and Cisco glared at him. Barry was grinning so happily that Cisco almost felt bad for his rejection, but he was annoyed.

Barry did a double-take once he registered the pair of eyes on him.

“What?”

“You’re letting them win.”

“What?” he squeaked. “I’m n-not.”

“Oh, for God sakes, Barry, you cannot lie to me. I am your best friend.”

“I’m not letting them, okay? They’re just really good.”

“Bullshit.”

Barry met his eyes. “Well, that’s not…nice.” Cisco raised an eyebrow. “They’re good, Cisco, okay? Iris has gotten eight strikes, and Stacy has gotten five strikes and two spares.”

“And you’ve gotten a gutterball nine times out of ten,” he said flatly.

“Maybe it’s just an off night for me.” He shrugged.

“We’re playing on _teams_ , Barry. And we were in a league together freshman year. You never had an off night.”

“Maybe I’ve been drinking too mu-”

“You mean your sprite? Oh yeah, that’s bound to make anybody tipsy.”

Now he glared. “What do you want from me?”

“The truth,” he spat. “Are you afraid if you try she’ll beat you and that will destroy your ego?”

Barry scoffed. “No.”

“Then what? Because usually guys try to impress their dates by doing _well_ , not…fail spectacularly.”

His jaw dropped. “This is not a d-d-date, Cisco.” Pink coloring stretched up his neck into his face.

“Why? Because you have a girlfriend?”

Barry cleared his throat and pulled at his collar.

“Or because you feel guilty that you want this to be a date?”

Their eyes met again. “That’s not it.”

“No? You aren’t on cloud nine right now that you ended up in an impromptu group date with your high school crush who you’re clearly still fawning over whenever she’s in the vicinity?” Cisco thought back to when they’d been in the lounge at school before Barry’s intense study session with Caitlin. “Or when she’s not,” he muttered under his breath.

“Cisco, just…” he sighed, running his hand through his hair. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the girls returning, just a few lanes away. “I like seeing her happy, okay? And I like…”

“Her consoling you because she thinks you suck?” He leaned towards him. “And by consoling, I mean completely invading your personal face to rub her hand over your shoulder and down your arm and back.”

“She doesn’t go down that far.” He blushed fiercely again.

“Beside the point.” He analyzed him. “You like it.”

Barry looked at him wide-eyed, but before he could respond the girls were back and with another batch of Coke placed on the table between them. Iris had a basket of fries and mozarrella sticks, one of which she was chomping on.

“Did we miss anything?” Iris asked after she’d swallowed her bite.

“Nothing at all,” Barry assured, smiling at him.

Cisco rolled his eyes. “Barry threw another gutterball.”

“Aww, Barry.” Iris came over to him and rubbed his shoulder. “You’ll do better next time. I know it.”

“Thanks, Iris, but I just don’t think I’m very good at this.” He sighed dejectedly.

Cisco scoffed. Stacy looked at him, amused.

“It’s my turn, I believe,” the blonde said, heading for the bowling balls and taking her turn. She got a spare.

“You guys are…really good at this,” Cisco said dryly.

“You’re good too, Cisco,” Iris said. “Barry just needs…more practice.” She switched her gaze to the lanky guy beside her. “Have you bowled much?”

Most guys would take offense to that, Cisco thought. But not his best friend. Nope. Barry was eating up the sympathetic attention.

He shrugged. “No more than the average person, I guess.”

“Ah, that must be why,” Stacy said. “Iris here was in a league in high school. She’s the best of the best.”

“And you’re so good because…?” Cisco let the question came.

“I have the gift,” Stacy said proudly.

He laughed.

“It’s true,” Iris joined in. “Stacy is just really good at things she’s never tried before. She literally has beginner’s luck at everything.”

“Oh yeah?” Cisco looked at her suspiciously. “Like, what else? Karaoke?”

She flushed. “Oh, God, no. I’m tone deaf.”

Iris laughed. “Yeah, let’s not subject ourselves to your singing again. I had ringing in my ears for weeks after that.”

“Okay, Miss Ringing, it’s your turn,” Stacy teased, promptly handing Iris her ball.

Iris rolled her eyes but took her turn.

“Another strike,” Cisco said in awe, shaking his head.

Barry turned his head to look at him – a pointed look that said _‘See? I told you they were good?’_

On Cisco’s turn he got a strike, and the time after that too. But with Barry’s single pin he knocked over on the last round, there was no comparison. The girls won by a long shot.

“Another game?” Stacy asked, turning to them.

Barry was about to respond, probably to accept the invitation with every intention of failing miserably again. Cisco could not take that risk. His ego was already suffering.

“Actually, we both have class tomorrow. An early one. At 8 o’clock.”

Barry sent him a look, but he hoped he wouldn’t insist otherwise. Their first class was technically at nine, but it was already eleven, and it was a forty-five minute drive back to school.

“He’s…right,” Barry said reluctantly.

Stacy pouted. “Aww, that’s too bad. We were really having fun.”

Beating us, you mean? But Cisco didn’t say it outloud.

“Maybe another time,” he said instead and then instantly regretted it.

“Oh, I have an idea,” Stacy said excitedly. “Iris here has the day off tomorrow.” Iris sent her a bewildered look. “Why don’t you get together with her Barry, and she can teach you how to bowl better. Then when we hang out the next time there’ll be more of a fair chance of you guys having a closer score to ours.”

Cisco was livid, but it was clear Barry was both panicking and unbelievably excited at the prospect.

“Sure!”

“I don’t think-”

Barry’s heart plummeted at the rejected, and for once Cisco felt bad for him.

That quickly changed.

“Unless…y-you want to?” Iris asked, curious and maybe…hopeful?

“I mean…only if you want to,” Barry said sheepishly. “If you’re not doing anything and have the patience to deal with a terrible bowler.”

Cisco suppressed another eye roll.

“She’s not doing a thing, and she has _so much patience_. More patience than anyone I know.”

Barry looked at Iris expectantly. Hers was the final call.

“Back here at 3?” she asked hesitantly.

Stacy cut off whatever Barry was about to say.

“Make it 11am across the street. There's a little cafe you can eat lunch at and then come over here for your bowling lesson.”

“Are _you_ the one going on the date?” Cisco said, amused and unable to help himself.

She laughed. “No, of course not. I’m covering Iris’ shift.”

…

Barry was still grinning when he and Cisco parted ways from the girls and headed to his car in the parking lot.

“You are in way over your head, my friend,” Cisco said.

“What do you mean?” Barry asked lazily, sliding as slow as humanly possible into the passenger seat of his own car once he unlocked the door. “It’s just a bowling lesson.”

Cisco rolled his eyes and got into the driver’s seat. _Guess I’m driving_.

“Which you don’t need,” he said. “Because you’re a pro.”

He shrugged. “Maybe I’m not. Maybe I’ve lost my touch.”

Cisco counted to ten in his head very slowly and then started the car.

“Then what about Becky, huh? Doesn’t this look suspiciously like a date with another woman?”

Barry folded his arms across his chest. “It’s not a date. It’s a lesson.”

“In stupidty.”

Barry glared at him.

“There’s lunch involved!” Cisco cried. “Lunch and bowling. That’s a date, my friend.”

“Wasn’t it you who said I should go on a few dates with someone to get to know them and tell Becky I’m just doing research for our threesome?”

“Is that what this is? You’re just getting to know Iris better to see if she’s the perfect candidate for your threesome with Becky? Because last time I checked, you were horrified at the prospect and positive Iris wasn’t interested in you, let alone a threesome with your girlfriend.” He sighed and drove out of the parking lot back towards campus. “Obviously she _is_ interested, but you were right before when you said it’d be unfair of you to lead her on only to drop her with that bomb. She doesn’t deserve that, even more so because you actually know her outside of this…whatever _this_ is.”

“You really think she’s interested?” Barry asked hopefully.

_Oh, my God._

If they’d been at a stop, Cisco would’ve dropped his head down on the steering wheel.

“You shouldn’t even be asking me that unless you’re single, Bartholomew.”

Barry’s shoulders slumped, and he turned away towards the window.

Cisco sighed.

“Which you could be literally right now if you just ended things with Becky.”

Barry’s eyes widened in horror. “Break-up by text?”

“I was gonna go with a phone call, but sure. She deserves a break-up by text for how terribly she treats you.”

Barry scowled. “She doesn’t treat me _terribly_.”

“Then why are you gushing over Iris being interested in you? If you’re so happy in your relationship with Becky, why have I not seen you as happy as I did tonight since…I don’t even know how long? Why-”

“All right, all right, I get it.”

He sighed, and Cisco felt bad for spoiling his mood. Maybe he should’ve let the headiness Barry felt regarding all things Iris stay with him until the morning. But for all they knew Becky could be in their dorm room when they returned, and how would Barry switch over to pretending he was happy to see her if he wasn’t prepared.

“Look, I’m not trying to-”

“It’s okay, Cisco,” he said quietly, not really there anymore. “You’re right. I’m not being an emotionally faithful boyfriend to Becky if I’m letting myself…get caught up in an old high school crush.” He paused. “Though Becky said she has lots of crushes too, so maybe we’re…in an open relationship?”

“You might want to talk with her about that before you assume anything there, bud.” He thought about it for a minute. “Is that…something you’d want?”

Barry thought about it. Before the threesome idea came up and he bumped into Iris again, he would’ve said no. Absolutely not. He loved Becky. He knew there was a heart and a softness underneath her superficial, bossy attitude and constant need for attention and sex. He wanted more than anything to find it. As soon as he did, he knew their relationship would truly blossom, and she’d be exactly who he imagined she was the moment he met her.

But now?

“Hello? Earth to Barry?”

He blinked, bringing his focus back to the here and now.

“I don’t know,” he said, wondrous at his answer. “Maybe.”

He thought about what an open relationship would mean. It would certainly be better than suggesting a threesome. That was strictly physical. But an open _relationship_ would mean he could date Iris and not feel guilty about it, not have that voice in the back of his head telling him he was cheating, and if he wanted to still date Becky he couldn’t also date Iris.

He’d never thought he was the type to want that. He’d always been a one-woman man. Always. But suddenly his feelings were very complicated, and he didn’t know what he wanted.

“I should call Becky,” he said eventually. “Maybe it’ll help to hear her voice. Maybe what I want will just…come to me.”

Cisco lowered the phone when Barry started to pull it out.

“Not on my watch. You call her now, and she’ll be waiting in our dorm assuming it was a booty call from her boyfriend she hasn’t seen all day. We have class in the morning. You need to reserve your strength.”

Barry thought about that and slumped back in his seat. Then he nodded.

“You’re right,” he said. “I’ll talk to her after class in the morning.”

Cisco didn’t know how wise that was either, since Becky would find him when she wanted, just like always. But he didn’t say anything further. If it was up to him he wouldn’t see Becky at all, ever again.

He licked his lips and daringly asked what contradicted everything he just said.

“You had fun tonight though?” he asked with a smile.

Barry looked at him and beamed back.

“I really did, Cisco. Thanks for the night out. I needed it. And you’re right. Becky would’ve ruined it.”

_Becky would’ve ruined it._

Cisco suppressed a sigh. What did he see in that girl?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback chapter. Freshman year. Barry meets Cisco, Ralph, and Becky. Barry and Becky start dating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update finally! Sorry for the skip again! Idk if you guys are gonna be that into this chapter tbh (and it's a long one too). It just felt necessary. All the chapters thus far have shown Becky as a truly terrible girlfriend, and Barry as refusing to break up with her despite everyone (mainly Cisco) telling him he should just break up with her already. His sole reason not to is due to his first/early impression of her before they started dating. So! This chapter is 100% a flashback chapter to when Barry met Cisco, Ralph, and Becky - including how they ended up dating to sort of show where Barry's head is at in the present and why he's reluctant to let go of this toxic relationship. I hope you'll like it! Next chap we'll (most likely) be back to present time. :)

**One year earlier…**

With a heavy thump, Barry set the last of his luggage down on the floor, then stood up and brushed the dust off his shirt. When he turned around he found his parents staring at him with a mixture of pride and heartbreak.

“Guys, I’m only going to be an hour away.”

His mother came forward and straightened his already straight shirt, the plaid button-down he’d come to wear for all big milestones, whether he realized it or not.

“I know, but…” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “You look so handsome, Barry. The spitting image of your grandfather. If he could see you now…”

 _If he could see me now he’d be scowling that I didn’t go to a more prestigious school_ , Barry thought.

But his grandfather had died when he was fifteen, and Nora Allen adored her father. He wasn’t about to put a dent in the man’s memory. He wasn’t all bad after all.

“Thanks, mom,” he said instead, smiling and then giving her a hug. She clearly needed one. And despite his eagerness to get on his own, he knew he’d be missing them before the week was up.

“Well, Slugger,” Henry Allen said, approaching his son and giving him a hug of his own after Nora had stepped out of the way. “Study hard.”

“I will,” Barry assured.

“But play hard too. Make some friends. And if there are any bullies here…”

“Henry.” Nora gave her husband a look, but he appeared unthwarted.

“Give them a run for their money.” Henry winked, then turned to his wife and grinned. His charm soothed her instantly, and she was practically blushing when he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

“Your father is impossible,” Nora said, but she smiled as she said it.

For most eighteen-year-olds, it was probably embarrassing to have their parents so blatant in their affection, but Barry felt a warmth spread through his chest as he watched them. His parents were still so in love. They told the story of how they met often, and they were very open with how much they loved their son too, how proud of him they were. Barry couldn’t ask for better parents. Even now he was feeling a soft sadness at being apart from them at least five days at a time, if not more. He stomped on the feeling. If he was open about it, his parents might never leave.

Just as he was about to make another attempt to suggest they go home, a sound of heavy breathing drew closer. Nora and Henry parted to peek down the hall. Barry was curious too, but he remained put.

A sudden clunk, and Henry disappeared from view. Nora followed soon after.

“Oh, son, let me help you there-”

“Are you feeling all right? Maybe you should sit down for a minute. Here come inside.”

“No. No, I’m all right, guys. I’m-”

And then he appeared in front of the door and stopped when he saw Barry.

“Oh.” His eyes widened. “I…this is my room, I think.” He gulped. “You are…really tall.”

Barry blushed and proceeded to follow his father’s lead while his mother dug out a cup from his things and vanished to fill up water from the bathroom sink.

“Yeah, I, uh…get that a lot. Here, why don’t I help you.”

“I’m…uh, thanks, you don’t really have to though. I mean-”

But a couple trips and both Allen men had brought all of his stuff inside, setting them on the other side of the room.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Barry said. “I mean, I already put my stuff over here, so-”

“Totally fine.” He held out his hand. “I’m Cisco by the way.”

Barry shook it. “Barry Allen.” He gestured to Henry and Nora. “These are my parents.”

Cisco promptly shook their hands. “Mr. and Mrs. Allen. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Cisco?”

“Ramon,” he answered Henry.

“Ramon?” Nora’s eyes widened. “As in Ramon Industries?”

Cisco tensed but forced a smile and nodded. “One and the same.”

“Your dad must own the company then.”

“He does.”

Henry’s brows furrowed. “You said your name was Cisco though? Is that short for something?”

“Uh, yes, Francisco actually.” Henry’s frown didn’t disappear. “I think you’re thinking about my brother, Dante, the musical prodigy. My father talks about him often, to whoever will listen.”

Henry didn’t say it, but Barry could see the words in his eyes. He didn’t know Cisco’s father had two sons.

“Well, you seem like a wonderful boy,” Nora interjected to break the tension. “I’m sure you and my Barry will get on just fabulously.”

“Mom.”

Cisco smirked. “I’m sure we will too,” he said. “In fact…” He glanced at Barry’s stuff and the older Allens firmly planted in the doorway. “Maybe we could start getting to know each other now.”

“Oh, that’s sounds wonder-”

“Not to kick you guys out or anything,” he said hurriedly, and Barry knew his mother had misunderstood. “If you want to stay, we could-”

Henry’s hands landed on his wife’s shoulders.

“No, that’s quite all right, Cisco. We’ll let you two get acquainted. It was great to meet you,” he said.

“Good to meet you too, Sir.” He directed his gaze to Nora. “Ma’am.”

“Have a good time, Barry,” Henry said, smiling. “Don’t forget to call.”

“Oh, Barry-” Nora tried to turn back to her son, but Henry guided her away. “Don’t forget us! Call us! We’ll miss you!”

“Come on, Nora. It’s a long drive back.”

She turned her attention back to her husband and pouted.

“It’s only an hour’s drive, Henry. Honestly…”

But they were already in the hall, and Barry was waving his last goodbyes and agreeing to promises he wasn’t sure he was going to end up keeping. But he would miss them, and he wouldn’t forget them, and he would try his darndest to make them proud. And that, he decided, would be more than enough.

When the door at the end of the hall shut behind Henry and Nora Allen, Barry turned back to his new roommate.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” He stuck his hands into his pockets. “I mean, I’d kill to have parents as clingy as yours, but I know desperation when I see it. Your parents weren’t going to get out of here any time soon without a little help.”

Barry laughed, then nodded. “Yeah…”

“So.” Cisco plopped down on the bed chosen to him. “Are we gonna like each other?”

Barry went to sit on his own bed.

“Depends…I hope so.”

“What do you like?”

“Off the top of my head? Science, math, Star Trek, Star Wars, experiments, research, video games, hands-on-”

Cisco held up his hands for him to stop.

“Whoa, whoa.”

Barry’s brows furrowed, mildly concerned but curious.

“Say no more, my friend. I like you already.”

…

The evening’s activities for new freshmen ranged from terrible to mildly amusing, but glued to each other’s sides for most of it, Barry and Cisco survived it. They were chagrined to find out more was to follow the next morning, but they figured by afternoon they could skip out on the rest. They’d been on a tour of the university twice, as well as done a handful of embarrassing team activities, and been introduced to their RA, Julian Albert, who seemed efficient but difficult. Barry couldn’t decide if he was going to like him or not.

Let free to mingle with upperclassmen in a meet-and-greet after lunch, some of which would be available for mentorship and tutoring, Barry found himself separated from Cisco as the latter daringly approached a brunette with long dark locks and a leather jacket.

 _He has more courage than I do_ , Barry mused.

He wasn’t alone for long though. A student even taller than he was with a confident grin on his face approached Barry and stuck out his hand.

“Hey, Rookie.”

Barry’s brows furrowed, but he shook the hand offered to him.

“Barry, actually. Barry Allen.”

“Ralph.” He paused, assessing him. “What program are you in?”

“Forensic Science,” Barry said confidently. “I want to be a CSI.”

“Hmm.”

“You?”

“I’m undecided.”

Barry blinked. “What year are you?”

“A sophomore.” He shrugged. “I have time. Not everyone has their whole future planned out, Allen.”

“Oh. I-I didn’t mean-”

“Relax. I’m just messin’ with you.”

Barry tried to relax and failed. “Right.”

“You with anybody right now?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, I like my Cisco, roommate. We hit it off pretty fa-”

“No, no, not as a friend, as more than that.”

Barry blushed fiercely. “I’m straight.”

Ralph rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t- Nevermind.” He turned Barry so he was facing about 90 degrees the other direction. “What do you think about her?”

Barry caught his breath in his throat. The perfect height, a stunning beauty, long golden locks cascading down her shoulders. She was laughing with some friends. Her smile was brilliant, and her figure was accentuated in her form-fitting clothes.

“She’s-”

“Some hot ass, am I right?” Ralph punched his shoulder.

Barry frowned. “Not…exactly what I was gonna say.”

“Of course not. You’re thinking she’s way out of your league, which of course she is. She’s out of my league too, and I don’t say that often. But you just might have a chance with her if you think there’s something you can offer that no other guy can.”

Barry frowned and turned to Ralph.

“She’s beautiful, but I’m not looking to compete with anyone.”

“You think you can get her just by being yourself, huh?”

“I’m not interested.”

“Bullshit.” A thought occurred to him. “Unless, are you not single? You have a girlfriend?”

Barry thought back to Iris at CC Jitters back home and how generous she’d been to pay out of her own pocket for snacks for him when he studied at the coffee shop. He could count on one hand the number of times they’d actually had a legitimate conversation though. And he’d known her since elementary school.

“No, I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Then, why don’t you-”

“My first priority is not to get one, Ralph.”

Ralph sighed. “Fine. So, what is your first priority then? And don’t tell me it’s studying or we cannot be friends.”

Barry frowned. “You want to be my friend?”

Ralph smiled so all his pearly whites sparkled.

“What kind of an upperclassmen would I be if I didn’t befriend the new guys coming in?”

“But you’re not-”

“Tell you what, grab your roommate, we’ll go out for some pool and drinks and end up at the student lounge tonight for a party. No freshmen allowed, but I think I can get you guys in.”

Barry had a bad feeling about this, but he didn’t want to end up alone in his dorm if Cisco hit it off with his new lady friend either. He glanced around the courtyard until he saw the two of them animatedly chatting. The girl was less interested in Cisco than he was in her, but she didn’t appear to be disgusted by him either. Barry supposed that was a win.

“What about her?” Barry asked, and Ralph followed his gaze.

“The brunette?” He nodded. “That’s Lisa Snart. Pretty sure she’s out of your league too, buddy.”

Barry rolled his eyes. “Not for _me_ , for-”

“Oh, God. Is _that_ your roommate?”

Barry felt an indignant protectiveness rise up in him. Despite his quieter nature, he suddenly knew no hesitation if Ralph said a single word against Cisco.

But his attack fell short as a woman interrupted them.

“Hey, boys, what’s going on here?”

Barry’s eyes fixed on the new arrival. It was _her_. She was brilliant from afar, but up close she was a masterpiece.

“Ralph, who’s this?”

Ralph grinned. “Hey, Becky, this is Allen.”

“Barry,” he corrected.

“Barry.” Becky smiled. Her eyes were a stunning sky blue. “You a new freshman?”

Barry nodded and swallowed. “Yeah.”

“He’s single,” Ralph whispered into her ear, making Barry blush.

Quite suddenly Becky was eyeing him like a piece of meat. Barry didn’t know whether the heat brimming inside him was irritation or arousal.

“Really?”

“I’m not here for a relationship,” Barry said. “I’m here for an education.” Ralph groaned loudly. “And maybe some friends,” Barry added.

“And have you made any friends?” Becky asked.

“Just one.”

Ralph deigned to look offended.

“Maybe you and I could be friends,” she suggested.

Barry’s mouth suddenly felt very dry.

“I’m sure you have lots of friends already.”

She shrugged. “I’m popular,” she allowed. “But I don’t think I’ve found that one person that really gets me, you know?”

Barry felt blindsided. The most beautiful woman he’d seen on campus thought he might be her soulmate?

 ** _Friendship_** _soulmate_ , he scolded himself.

“Yeah,” he said.

“He’s coming to the party tonight,” Ralph butt in, sounding a little irritated.

Becky glanced between both boys. “Oh?”

“I’m bringing my roommate,” Barry said, leaving no room for debate.

“You sound very confident of that,” Becky said, her lips curving into a seductive smirk. “I like that.”

Barry gulped. “And the girl he just met, if she’s interested.”

Becky looked around, searching for the two in question. Obviously she didn’t know who she was looking for, so Barry pointed them out.

“Oh, Lisa!”

The brunette in the distance turned away from Cisco at the sound of her name. She smiled and waved. Cisco frowned, then turned in the direction she was looking. His jaw dropped, and Barry shrugged.

“Oh, yeah,” Becky said as Lisa headed over, abandoning Cisco who trudged after belatedly. “You guys are definitely coming.

…

The upperclassmen grinding in the center of the floor as shots were made on the bar and the level of noise rose, both from music and talking, Barry slumped back in the seat in the corner beside Cisco.

“This was a mistake.”

“Ugh, I know.” Barry turned to his friend. “I’m sorry.”

Cisco looked at him and shrugged it off. “Sounds like you were bombarded.”

“I was!”

“And distracted by a pretty girl.”

Barry grumbled. “I was.”

Cisco sighed. “So was I.”

“We can just stay barricaded in our room after this, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Maybe we’ll find out when this lounge isn’t crowded and take advantage of the pool tables and video game consoles.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

“I’m gonna get some water from the bar.” He stood to his feet. “You want some?”

Cisco shook his head. “Nah, I’m good.” He glanced up at him. “Maybe take it to go?”

“You got it.”

Barry had the water in his hand and was about to slide off the stool when Becky approached him.

“Barry!” She plopped on the stool next to him and grinned. “I’ve hardly seen you. Come dance with me!”

Barry shook his head. “I don’t think so, Becky.”

She pouted. “Why not? I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.”

“I’ve been here the whole time.” He shrugged. “You’ve been busy. It’s fine.”

He got off the stool and tried to walk away, but she pulled him back to her.

“Aww, is poor baby Barry jealous?” She pouted. “I warned you I was popular.”

Now he did pull away. “Goodnight, Becky.”

“No, no, Barry, wait, please!”

Something in her voice shifted, and it triggered compassion in Barry, though he hated himself for it. Reluctantly he let her hand grabbing onto his arm pull him back to her.

She sighed, apologetically.

“I’m sorry, Barry. Sometimes I just get caught up in all the noise. I see people clamoring for my attention, and it feels good to get it. But I meant what I said earlier. I am looking for someone who just gets me, who I don’t have to pretend with, who I can just be me with, and that’s enough.” She softened further. “I think you might be that person.”

“But you don’t even know me,” he said. “How could you possibly know that?”

“I’ll never know unless you give me a chance.”

“By doing what? Dancing? That’s not my thing, sorry.”

“No, no, not dancing. Why don’t we go somewhere and just…talk?”

Barry glanced over at Cisco snoozing in the corner.

“I can’t abandon my roommate,” he said, though his voice said he was quite willing to the way this conversation was going.

“It looks like he abandoned you,” she mused.

He looked back at her.

“We don’t have to talk long,” she said. “Just…twenty minutes maybe? I want to get to know you. The lounge won’t close for another hour at least. You and I can spend some time chatting, and he’ll still be here when we get back. I promise.”

Barry stomped on the guilt sticking out like a sore thumb.

“Okay.”

He left the room with Becky to go somewhere quiet, oblivious to the wink she sent Ralph on their way out or the nod and grin he returned her way.

In hindsight, Barry didn’t learn much about her in their time alone other than what kind of chip was her favorite and that she was very good at pool. But the promise of getting to know her, of seeing that person she kept behind lock and key was too thrilling for him to give up on her or them.

“Tell me something, Barry,” she said, hopping on the pool table beside him where he stood.

“What do you want to know?” he asked.

“Do you have any special talents?”

Barry thought back to what Ralph said earlier, and despite what he’d said then, he found himself wanting to prove something now.

“I don’t…I don’t know.”

“We could find out.”

His eyes met hers. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a karaoke night on Wednesday.”

He thought of all the people and her in a crowd of people he wanted nothing to do with.

“I don’t know, Becky…”

“You don’t have to sing if you really don’t want to, but I’d like you to come.”

“Why?”

She smiled sweetly. “I think we might have something, Barry Allen.”

“As friends?” he asked hopefully, even as he tried to squash it down.

The corner of her lips twitched, and her lips glistened, even in the dim lighting.

“Sure.”

…

Following Cisco’s scalding advice after being left alone for two hours and being rudely kicked out of the dorm by a grumpy fifth year senior, Barry didn’t go to karaoke night on Wednesday. But a month later Lisa approached Cisco and asked him out on a date. Cisco was so shocked he said yes immediately. Later that day, Barry found himself digging through old photos and becoming increasingly homesick being alone. Unfortunately for him he had no car, and he felt pathetic considering asking one or both of his parents to come pick him up just for the evening.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts, and he opened it.

“Becky,” he said, surprised by her presence in front of him and by the tight leather crop top and mini skirt paired with high boots she was wearing.

“Hello, Barry.”

He considered the possibilities, and his brows narrowed.

“Is this a prank?”

She rolled her eyes and pulled him out of the room.

“Wait. I don’t have my key-”

“I’m taking you out tonight. You have no say in the matter.”

“But-”

“I know Cisco’s out with Lisa. Why are you moping in your room?”

“I’m not-”

“Come with me.”

She dragged him down the hall and into the basement where a small crowd had gathered for the underground karaoke party.

“No. No, no, no, no, no.”

“Settle down. I’ll get us some drinks.”

“No,” he whined, but he took a seat.

“There’s no alcohol in this,” she assured, sliding a drink across the table to him.

“It tastes funny,” he complained. “Are you sure there’s no alcohol in this?”

“Absolutely positive,” she insisted, and took a sip of her own drink.

An hour later, Barry was on stage drunkenly singing a song. And despite the effort it had taken to climb onto the stage and coherently pick a song, Barry sang it beautifully. Becky was spellbound.

After his performance, she pulled him into a dark corner of the room and congratulated him with her tongue in his mouth and her hips grinding against his lap.

“Becky, what are y-”

But he said nothing more. Come morning, he woke up in his bed, his clothes from the night before still on, and an unread text on his phone. He looked across the way and saw Cisco snoring in his own bed.

Barry reached for his phone and opened the text message.

_Hope you slept well, boyfriend. Meet me for breakfast?_

_Becky <3_

“What the hell…?” he whispered to himself, then set the phone back down.

It had to be a dream. This had to be some big mistake.

But Becky was waiting in the hall for him after his only class that day, and he looked at her quizzically.

“Why didn’t you respond to me, Barry?” she asked.

He blinked. “I thought the text was a mistake. Last I checked we weren’t dating.”

She pushed herself off the wall and approached him. He watched her warily.

“Am I moving too fast? I thought we were on the same page after you kissed me last night.”

His eyes widened, and he started to panic, trying to remember last night. He couldn’t remember a thing.

“I… _kissed_ you?”

She nodded. “Mhmm.”

“But I-I’ve never kissed _anyone_.”

“Oh, honey, believe me, I know.”

He stared at her.

“You told me,” she said, explaining. “On our first date. When we played pool, remember?”

“Th-That wasn’t a date,” he said, backing up now.

“Why are you backing up? If I misunderstood the kiss, fine. If you don’t want to be with me, fine. If it was all a mistake, _fine_. But don’t act like I’m some super aggressive stalker, Barry. I’m just reacting to what happened between us. I thought there was something there.” She took a step towards him. He didn’t back away. “Isn’t there?”

This felt like an ultimatum. It felt like a really big life decision was being made right now, and he didn’t like it. But he also was hesitant to push her away. The last 24 hours felt like a blur. He couldn’t imagine himself ever initiating a kiss and not remembering it, especially with someone as beautiful as Becky. But if it _had_ happened, maybe it was a sign that it was meant to be.

He’d never been lucky in love, but maybe with Becky it could be different. And that first night with her…her eagerness to connect with him...he hadn’t felt anything like that with anyone before. He couldn’t remember wanting something so bad as a deep meaningful connection. And here she was wanting that.

“There is,” he finally said, his voice so quiet it was almost a whisper.

Becky relaxed and took his hand, interlacing their fingers together.

“I’m sorry you don’t remember last night,” she said. “Maybe tonight can be different. Just you and me and some popcorn and soda watching a movie on my big screen TV. My roommate will be out, so it can be just us. What do you say?”

He thought about if he had any major studying to do tonight, and he was pretty much free for the week, since he’d worked away.

“Okay,” he said. He licked his lips, thinking. “Want to go for dinner too?”

Her eyes lit up. “Sure.”

“This doesn’t mean we’re dating though, Becky,” he emphasized. “I really don’t want to jump into anything yet. It’s barely been a month. My education has to come first.”

“I got you, Barry,” she said, but she pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips anyway, then released his hands. “I’ll meet you in the cafeteria at six. Then we can head back to my room for the movie.”

She walked away, swaying her hips as she did so, and he wondered if he’d come out of that conversation victorious or completely at Becky’s mercy.

After two movie nights and dinner dates, and Becky’s flirtatious behavior driving him crazy, Barry kissed Becky in the moonlight on a chilly autumn evening.

“Are we dating now?” she asked, her breath mingling with his.

He felt light as a feather, like he was in control and yet not at the same time. For the first time he wasn’t worried.

“Yeah, Becky,” he said, tucking a wild curl behind her ear and smiling before he kissed her again. “We’re dating.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say...If you didn't hate Becky before, you probably will after this chapter. It was not in the original vision I had for this story, but it's what came to me when I was thinking of what should come next. Plus I figure, eight chapters in, it's okay to see things from Becky's perspective and reveal some of her secrets/true nature. I hope you enjoy it! Planning on bringing Iris/WA back in the next chapter.

Becky crested, her body nearly levitating off the bed as the waves of her orgasm washed over her. She was so lost in the effervescent feeling that she almost didn’t detect the smirk from the individual still hovering over her.

Almost.

“Shut your mouth, Ralph.”

She slowly sank down into the bed, her hair splaying out among the pillows, her demand less intimidating with how dreamy she sounded in the aftermath of sex.

Ralph chuckled but slid off to the side, pulling the blankets over them so as not to feel the chill in the air. The thermostat was fidgety. He wasn’t sure how long it would cooperate with Becky in the room.

“You have to admit it was good.”

Her eyes were closed, but he had a feeling if they hadn’t been they’d be rolling.

“Tell me,” he said. “Tell me how good it was.”

Becky could feel the fires churning in her stomach all over again, but it didn’t show when she turned on her side to look at him and pulled the sheets up over her breasts.

“Your ego is the size of-”

He raised his eyebrows, and she sighed, pursing her lips before talking.

“Yeah, it was good.”

“Better than Barry, I bet,” he teased.

Her eyes narrowed. “I thought we agreed not to talk about Barry during-”

“Your booty calls?” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. “I don’t remember that conversation.”

She pushed him away, nearly growling. Then she pulled back the covers and began to search for her dress.

“I’m serious, Ralph,” she said, then looking over her shoulder. “Barry and you are two totally different parts of my life. I’d like to keep it that away.” She found her dress and slipped it over her head.

Ralph propped himself, annoyed now instead of riveted as he watched her put herself together.

“Why? It isn’t as if you were genuine when you started dating him. It was the same thing you always do, Becky…every year.” She looked at him and glared. “Tell me I’m wrong,” he said. “Tell me you don’t pick a freshman every year to seduce and then dump you, making you look like this, I don’t know…sort of, fallen angel. A victim.” He scoffed. “You’re anything but.”

She slipped on her jewelry and pulled her hair back in a tie.

“You might have noticed there was no one new in my life this year.”

“Yeah, because you started fucking me when Barry wasn’t cutting it for you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Barry’s still practically a virgin. We have to fuck a lot so he gets better, but I still have needs.”

“Just like you had needs when you chose me?”

She looked at him.

“Your green monster is showing,” she said.

“Who could I possibly be jealous of? Allen?”

She shrugged innocently.

“At least you’re real with me, Becky. He doesn’t know the real you. If he did he would have never decided to date you.”

She came to sit on the side of the bed.

“Barry’s a sensitive creature. He’ll thank me though when all of this is over. The next girl he’s with will be blown away by his…sexual prowess.”

He snorted. “If he recovers.” He paused. “Is that what the threesome is about?”

She smiled slowly. “You _are_ jealous.”

He tensed a little and grew restless beneath the sheets, increasingly irritated by where this conversation was going.

“I just want to know. Usually you’re done by the end of the spring semester. But it’s been a little over a year since you snatched Barry up. Tell me why.”

She sighed whimsically.

“Oh, Ralph Dibny…you think you know me so well, don’t you?” His brows narrowed. “But you don’t. You know I dated you for a year and then convinced you to dump me. Then you saw me pick up Barry in a similar way, so you assume I’ve been doing this for years. But what if it’s just the two of you? And what if Barry is who I really love?”

He scoffed. “You don’t know how to love, Becky.”

“And what makes you say that?” she asked coquettishly.

“Because I saw you over the summer last year seduce another poor bastard. You’re having trouble getting Barry to dump you, aren’t you?”

She frowned, irritated that he knew her so well.

“He’s loyal,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Too loyal, you think though, right?”

She blew her hair out of her face.

“I got him because he wanted a strong emotional connection.”

“And by batting your doe eyes at him, he immediately believed you that you would give that to him.”

“I was fine with it at the time, but I increasingly treated him worse as our relationship went on, and yet still…here he stays, wanting to be with me.”

“He doesn’t deserve you, Becky.” He inched closer, softening.

“I pushed him to break up with me the other day, you know? I pushed him into a corner because I’d gotten fed up with him just avoiding me and wanted to end it. But he got all…” She scoffed, and her nose scrunched up. “Reassuring and crap instead.”

“So, the threesome idea…it’s your last resort?”

She rolled her eyes. “Obviously. If the last year has taught me anything, it’s that Barry Allen is a one-woman man. A threesome is not appealing to him. It’s the opposite.”

“So why push for it then? Do you just hope he’s going to get annoyed with you pushing and break it off?”

She sighed. “If only. I know that roommate of his badmouths me to him. Why else would he have left campus the last couple weeks with only him in tow and not return for hours?”

“I’ve been keeping tabs on him,” he assured.

“And you’re sure he’s not cheating?” she pressed.

“Like you said, he’s loyal to a fault.”

“God,” she groaned.

“I am glad he went out tonight though,” he said, running his hand up her thigh. She stopped it just before it snuck under her dress. “It’s been weeks since you came to me. You’ve been so busy fucking the living daylights out of that nerd I’ve hardly seen you.”

“You’re not being careful,” she said, shoving Ralph’s hand away. “He’s been complaining about you too.”

He looked amused. “That can’t be new. I’m not nice to him either.”

“It _is_ ,” she said. “I’m sure he’s annoyed by it, but he’s never brought it up before. God knows why, but he’s always given you the benefit of the doubt.”

He straightened, leaning back against the headboard.

“So, what are you planning? You hoping for another outburst from him, push him to break up with you before the threesome even happens?”

“God, no. That was a last-ditch effort when I was frustrated last week. It wasn’t successful, so I obviously had to formulate a new plan.”

“Which is?”

She smiled wryly. “Wouldn’t you love to know.”

He frowned, irritated.

“We’re not partners in this, Ralph Dibny. You weren’t my first seduction, and you won’t be my last. You’re a good fuck, which is why I called you up when Barry wasn’t cutting it, but you and I? We’re not a thing. Not as manipulative partners to Barry Allen and not as a couple. There’s no future for us, Ralph Dibny. I don’t need a man.” She smirked. “I just like to play with them.”

He leaned forward.

“Don’t forget that I handpicked your current play toy. You came to me asking if I wanted to help. If it wasn’t for me, Barry Allen never would have noticed you.”

She snorted. “I doubt that. Look at me.”

“You can’t deny that I made this happen. _I_ researched the new freshman for the most suitable targets. _I_ pointed him out to you and encouraged him to try and put the thought in his head that he might have a chance with you. _I_ invited him to the party. _I_ told you when he was about to leave. _I_ found out when he was feeling homesick and might be more vulnerable to your advances - and convinced Lisa to ask out his roommate. _I_ found out he could sing. _I_ found out he had a dislike for alcohol, so you couldn’t give it to him straight or he’d be on to you. _I_ re-enforced over and over how he was so lucky to be with you, so he never forgot it. Your charm and beauty and lies about a need for connection may have sealed the deal, but without me he would’ve lusted at you from afar – _maybe_ – and never pursued you or allowed you to seduce him. You would’ve screwed up, Becky. Barry Allen would’ve been your first of _many_ failures.”

She huffed and got to her feet. “I don’t have to listen to this.”

She was walking angrily to the door. He didn’t try to stop her.

“You need me, Becky.”

She glared at him, not a single quippy remark on her tongue before she left. She didn’t want to think about if he was right or not.

…

_“Promise me you won’t call her.”_

He’d made the promise for the way home in the car, but Barry decided his roommate probably had his best interest at heart and resisted calling Becky after they got back to the dorm too. Besides, Cisco deserved to be able to sleep in his bed for once without the concern of if his roommate’s girlfriend who treated him like crap was going to be fucking him just a few feet away.

Strangely enough, he woke up the next morning not feeling an urgency to call her then either. He went to breakfast with Cisco and then the first of his classes for the day. Before and after, he didn’t run into Becky once. Not once.

He thought about how weird that was, for Becky not to be waiting for him pressuring him about the threesome or even pulling him aside for a quickie as soon as she was able to snag him. Then he started to worry. What if something had happened to her? What if she had tried to get a hold of him last night and he’d bailed in favor of spending time with Iris? _And Cisco and Stacy._ He suddenly felt really guilty for how he’d behaved last night. All he’d been able to think about was Iris, but what if Becky had needed him and he hadn’t been around?

He reached for his phone in his pocket, not sure if he was on the verge of canceling his ‘date’ with Iris or calling Becky to see if she was all right. If Becky _was_ all right, he was sure there was no way he could still meet up with Iris. Becky would want to hook up, and not only would he be late to seeing Iris, but he would feel really squeamish about the fast that he’d had sex with his girlfriend before going on a date with someone else – even if it was supposed to be a cover for the impending threesome.

‘B’ and ‘I’ were nowhere near each other in the alphabet, so Barry found himself scrolling back and forth between the two names trying to decide. Each time he scrolled he went faster until he accidentally hit one. Becky.

 _It must be fate_ , he decided. She was his girlfriend, and he needed to-

On the first ring, a text from Iris came through.

**Can’t wait to see you!**

His heart plummeted. Cisco was right. She really did like him. Iris West was interested in him as a potential romantic partner.

Or maybe he was jumping to conclusions. Either way…

“Hey, babe!” Becky’s voice came through, shaking him of his Iris reverie.

He closed the text and focused on the phone call he’d decided was destined.

“Barry?”

“Yeah, h-hi, Becky.”

“Is everything all right?”

“What? Yeah! Totally. Totally. Everything’s fine.”

“Oh…kay…”

“I was just uhm…” He cleared his throat. “I haven’t seen you today. So, I was making sure you were okay.”

There was a long silence, then, “I thought maybe you wanted a break from me.”

He panicked. “What?! No! Why…W-Why would you think that, Becky?” He immediately felt a need to console her. She sounded downright depressed on the other line.

_You’re a terrible boyfriend, Barry. TERRIBLE._

Silence ensued again, followed by a draining sigh from her.

Oh, God.

“Is it about the threesome?” he asked, then gulped.

More silence. “You just don’t seem interested, Barry. I really thought this was a great thing for us to do as a couple, but you don’t even want to try it. Maybe you don’t even want to be with me.”

He felt sick.

“Wha…” His voice disappeared.

Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead and the back of his neck. Despite all his previous frustration on the topic, he wanted more than anything to try it. For her sake if not for his own. Maybe this would be good for them. Cisco’s teasing suggestion popped into his head before he could stop it. With nothing else coming to him, he let it spill out of his mouth before he remembered all his reasoning not to do it in the past.

“Becky, that’s not it. I don’t even… I just wanted to find a girl by myself,” he said. “I needed to do it my own way, because sex is a big deal to me, and if we’re gonna share the bed with someone else, I needed to be sure of her.”

Silence _again_. It was driving him mad, her delayed responses.

“Are you saying…you found someone?”

He heard the hope in her voice and felt himself immediately relax.

“Yes,” he said, then though for a moment. “Well, maybe. Cisco had an idea-”

“Cisco? You told him about our sex life?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, not wanting the conversation to burst into flames. “He suggested that I get to know a few girls by deciding. So they’re still a stranger but not as strange as one of the girls you work with. I thought it was a good idea.”

“So…all this time you’ve been looking on your own?”

“Yes,” he lied.

“Is that what you were doing last night? Getting to know our potential third party?”

“Partially,” he said, then corrected himself, “Mostly.”

“I don’t-”

“I’m going out with her again now. If it goes well, I think she’ll be who we’re looking for.”

Silence set in again. Longer than before. Enough for him to make sure she was still there.

“Becky?”

“I’m here.”

He licked his lips. “Well? What do you think?”

He heard the sultry delight in her voice when she answered.

“Let me know how it goes.”

They said their goodbyes, and he hung up, sinking into the chair he’d been straightened in on the verge of further panic and alarm.

He felt an overwhelming joy flow through him.

And then it hit him, and dread drowned him till he started to sweat again with anxiety.

He looked down at the unanswered text from Iris, swallowed hard and replied.

**Me too! See you soon!**

Was that too cheesy? Eager? Desperate?

He didn’t know. All he knew was he was heading into a date with Iris to see if she’d be willing to participate in a threesome with his girlfriend, Becky.

There was no possible way this was going to end well.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm still alive. I lost interest in this story for months, but a friend gave me a rose for Valentine's Day and my first thought was the title of this story. I don't know if regular updates will be starting up again...I suspect they won't. But anything's possible. This chap isn't the best thing I've ever written, but for the most part I'm satisfied. I hope you enjoy it!

Barry sat in a chair, tapping his fingers in a staccato pattern on the table, and wondered for the hundredth time if he should cancel.

Iris hadn’t shown up yet. He was early, but she still hadn’t shown up yet. He could still cancel. He could say something came up, he forgot about a class, he got caught in traffic, there was a family emergency. There were so many reasons he could come up with that wouldn’t make him sound like an ass if he cancelled right now. She would understand. And if their schedules kept conflicting and they inevitably just abandoned trying to find a time to meet up, she would understand that too. She’d probably be a little sad, if her text and affection when they were together was any indication. He would be too. He’d be down right miserable if he never got any opportunity like this again and took it. Plus, what would he tell Becky? That he bailed? He could tell her Iris hadn’t been interested, but that would just result in having to find someone else on his own, since that was what he had claimed he’d been doing. He couldn’t go back on the little white lie now. It was too risky.

He had to stick to his plan.

But something about this just felt so wrong. It felt like he was cheating on Becky. For all the strain in their relationship, he never considered himself capable of being a cheater. Was Iris’ effect on him just so strong that it changed his entire morality? And in contrast, was his fear of losing Becky so potent that he would lie to Iris’ face in the hopes of appeasing his girlfriend?

It was just one big mess.

He didn’t want to dump Becky. They’d been dating for over a year now. While it was true she didn’t treat him the greatest, there was no doubting she was still into him, what with all the sex they’d been having. There were no signs of her cheating either from what he could tell. And the way she’d broken down, suspecting he wanted to break up with her in recent memory, had killed him.

There was no way out of this. He had to convince Iris to join in a threesome with them. It was only one time after all. Then things with Becky would be better.

He hated that it required manipulating Iris though, leading her on when he had no intention of dating her. The Barry from just a couple years ago would be disgusted with how he was treating her.

He considered calling Cisco and asking him for advice, but he knew what he would say. _Dump Becky, date Iris._ As if it was that easy.

He could call Becky, but she’d think he was pathetic for not being able to follow through. Calling Ralph would just get a laugh in his face. And he really, really did not like the idea of Ralph possibly hitting on Iris as a result. He might not be deserving of her with his current intentions, but Ralph as a whole was a sleazeball. He’d be dead before he let Ralph ogle her while he was present.

_Getting a little possessive there, Barry._

He closed his eyes and groaned inwardly when he realized that same overprotectiveness did not emerge from him when he thought of Ralph coming on to Becky. Of course Becky could handle herself. And it wasn’t that Iris couldn’t. It was just that…

The answer wouldn’t come to him, and it was just as well, because right at that moment, the door of little café opened and in strode Iris West. She wore a patterned tank with a fuzzy orange sweater and skinny jeans that emphasized her curves. The high-heeled boots she wore elevated her height a full two inches and the gold hoop earrings swung a little as she walked towards him, a brilliant smile on her face.

Thoughts of Becky melted away from his mind as he stood to his feet.

“Hey!” she said, sitting down across from him.

He sat down again, grateful he hadn’t done the idiotic thing and tried to hug her.

“Hey.” It took him a moment to snap out of his starstruck gaze. “You look amazing.”

Her grin somehow widened.

“Thanks.” Her eyes fell to the plain blue t-shirt he wore beneath a worn brown jacket. “So do you,” she said when she met his eyes again. The short-lived silence ended with abrupt laughter from both of them.

“Well, no one said I was a great dresser.”

“It’s not a date,” she said, pausing for a beat too long where he swore her eyes briefly flickered to his lips. “You don’t need to impress me.”

He leaned back in his chair. “I guess you just impress without trying then.”

She smirked and propped her chin in her hand.

“Some guys are just easy.”

“Me?” He pointed at himself. “You’re saying I’m easy?”

She laughed. “Well, I mean… this is how I dress, so.”

“Mm, it’s a little dressier than necessary for a bowling non-date, don’t you think?”

He saw a hint of embarrassment flash across her face before she tucked it away and mentally kicked himself.

“All I mean is-”

She looked at him, waiting.

“You look incredible, Iris. I’m the envy of every guy in the world.”

She relaxed in her chair and he did too.

“Nice save.”

He laughed nervously. “Should we get something to eat?”

She nodded and stood with him.

“Stacy and I eat here a lot. They have a good selection,” she said, wincing at her business-like tone.

“I’m not picky,” he said, appearing not to notice.

She eyed him when they came to a stop at the back of the line.

“What?” he asked, worried again.

“Nothing.”

“You regretting coming out with me?” he asked sheepishly, still beating himself up for his teasing remark gone wrong.

The uncertainty and veiled hurt vanished from her face.

“Not yet,” she said, and he decided that was better than yes.

…

It wasn’t until they were halfway through lunch that Iris truly relaxed again.

The truth was his minor jab that hadn’t meant to be hurtful one bit had hurt. It was ridiculous, since she knew she had far thicker skin than that. But she’d spent a good hour picking out an outfit, trying to figure out what could pass for a date outfit but still be casual enough for just a hang out between friends. And what would be comfortable enough for bowling. She’d settled on this and been quite proud of herself for the selection. The instant compliment from Barry boosted her ego. The offhand remark that she’d overdressed for the occasion did not.

But she let it slide. She had to. She was a grown-ass woman for goodness sake, even if she was only nineteen. And there was so much she _liked_ about Barry. So he was a terrible flirt, who cares? She could teach him her ways the more they got to know each other.

And she hoped they would get to know each other. For all her denial, she wanted this to go somewhere. He was cute, honest, and affectionate. Besides, when she’d shrugged out of her sweater after getting a bit hot in the café and he witnessed the tank with a hint of cleavage in all its glory, his remark then saved what had come before.

“You should always, always, always overdress.”

She blinked and looked up at him, saw his mouth hanging open and felt very pleased with herself.

“Do you have something beneath that jacket that I might find appealing too?” she asked, smiling flirtatiously.

He blushed a bright red. “Absolutely not,” he said.

“You sure about that?” she teased, reaching across the table.

He caught her hand before it reached his jacket and shook his head at her, smiling.

“My arms are twigs, not an inch of muscle and as pale as the whites of my eyes.”

She laughed, pulling her hand back.        

“I doubt that. Your face isn’t even that white.”

His eyes twinkled. “It’s nothing you want to see. Trust me.”

…

At the bowling alley, Barry found it inevitable that he’d have to shrug out of his jacket. Iris watched him, as he feared she would, and when he turned toward her knowingly, she had a starkly hungry look in her eyes that shook him to his core. He imagined the two of them in a bedroom, the place darkly lit as she let a piece of silky lingerie fall to her feet.

“I like what I see,” she said – now, in real time, looking at him with his skinny arms and blue t-shirt like she could devour him if only they were alone.

He swallowed. “If you’re sure.”

She walked up to him, dropped her bowling shoes onto the chairs and set the bowling ball in the slot. She moved slowly past him as she did so, brushing his arm with her elbow. Deliberately, her hips swayed, and Barry watched them as they did, his eyes landing on her ass, accentuated in those skinny jeans.

“You really do like what you see.” She looked at him over her shoulder. “Don’t you?”

“Yeah,” he rasped before he could stop himself.

She smiled and returned to him, gently placing her hand on his chest.

“Your heart is racing.”

He swallowed.

“Are you nervous?”

“Yes,” he said, honestly again.

“Why?”

He licked his lips. “I’m afraid.”

Her brows furrowed together, her seduction lessening a fraction.

“Of what? Me?”

“Sort of.”

She waited.

“I don’t know if my pride can suffer losing another game of bowling to you.”

She laughed and let her hand fall to her side.

“I’ll just have to teach you to be better then.”

“Better than you?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.

She snorted. “Better than you yesterday.”

He smirked. “Don’t go easy on me now.”

Her eyes sparkled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

He watched as she set up their game on the screen, slipped on her bowling shoes, and picked up her bowling ball, walking deliberately to the lane and moving in the familiar pattern he’d learned in his own league.

“Were you watching?” she asked after her first swing got her a strike.

His eyes were hot with lust and admiration.

“I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

…

Three games, a pizza, and two pitchers of Pepsi later, Barry patted himself on the back for being able to keep himself in check and not so much as try to beat Iris in bowling. Generally speaking, he was pretty competitive. But since their entire “date” was based off the premise that he didn’t know what he was doing when in reality he had several years behind him in a top bowling league, he figured he better stick to playing dumb.

It helped that Iris’ body was very alluring. Any progress he might’ve faked to assure her he was taking note of her lessons fell to the wayside whenever he looked at her. He nearly forgot his own name when she looked at him and touched him at the time. At one point she stood behind him in front of the lane, guiding his arm how to move to make the perfect shot. In theory her short height compared to his much taller one would make the position a little awkward. But it didn’t. It shot heat through every inch of skin on his body. He could barely catch his breath when they were in such close proximity.

“You have a beautiful smile,” he said after they started to recover from their latest bout of laughter over some corny joke he’d made. “Really, just stunning.”

“Yours isn’t so bad either,” she said, taking another drink of her Pepsi. “And that’s not the caffeine talking. I could stare at that smile forever.”

His heart fluttered. “I could stare at you forever,” he said softly.

Her smile lessened till it was smaller, gentle, subtler, but just as genuine. She placed her hand over his on the table and waited for his thumb to brush over the top of her fingers. He didn’t disappoint.

“What else could you do?” she asked, practically purring.

His heart was in his throat, his mind wiped blank, and sweat dotting his forehead when he watched her deliberately lower her gaze to his lips before lifting to his eyes again.

“Ask you a question.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Hit me.”

He hesitated. _Ask her_.

He swallowed, hoping the panic wasn’t evident on his face. This was the perfect moment. This was when he could ask her about the threesome. Her response here would make or break his relationship with both of the women currently tugging at his heartstrings.

“Barry?” Her brows furrowed. “Are you okay?”

He shook his head. “No, yeah, I’m fine. It’s just…” He cleared his throat. “It’s a bad question,” he muttered.

“Try me.” She propped her chin in her hand.

Reluctantly, he looked at her.

“You’ve already warned me,” she said. “It’s my own fault if I get offended now.”

He licked his lips. “All right…” He took a breath, his heart pounding a mile a minute.

_Now or never, Allen. Now or never._

“What is your opinion on threesomes?”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I really did intend on updating sooner but life just got crazy. I hope you enjoy this update. Things are going to start picking up as we head into threesome territory finally. Can't believe this is chapter 10 already, but I think it'll be worth the wait.
> 
> Enjoy!

Iris’ mouth fell open.

Of all the things she’d expected Barry to ask her, this was not one of them.

A _threesome_? Really? Was he suggesting what she thought he was?

She was almost feverish at the thought, and she wasn’t sure if the tingles making their way down her spine and planting goosebumps on her arms were a good sign or a not.

She’d always identified as straight and couldn’t remember a time she’d been sexually attracted to a woman. But…what’s college if not a time for experimentation, right?

Still, her mind was scrambled, and her dry mouth and heavy tongue weren’t helping the situation.

“I… uh…”

“Hypothetically!” Barry was quick to say, looking more anxious than she was by her reaction. She could see beads of sweat on his forehead and his hair was clearly damp, more so than it had been a few minutes go just from the exertion of bowling.

“Oh,” she said, and relaxed. “Right. Of course.”

“I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.” He shifted awkwardly in his chair. “You don’t have to answer.”

“Nonsense!” she assured, bouncing back. “It’s just a hypothetical question, right?”

He hesitated, then licked his lips. “Right.”

“Okay then.”

She propped her chin in her hand and reached across the little table to cover his hands. He tensed at the motion, which confused her but she decided to ignore it. Regardless of the fact that their little outing hadn’t started out like a date, it definitely felt like one now – what with all the smiling and flirting and in general butterflies erupting in her stomach. But it hadn’t officially been declared as one, and if he wanted to wait until they were on the same page regarding that, she’d let him. After a few moments she folded her hands beneath her chin and pretended to contemplate the question.

“Well, I’m not gonna lie, Barry, I’ve never really been attracted to girls.”

He nodded somberly, now avoiding her gaze. “I see.”

“So it’d have to be with two guys.” She drummed her fingers on her chin. “I still think it would be awkward though. Being in the middle and just waiting for things to happen? Or being on the outside and initiating…” Heat rose in her cheeks, and she ducked her head down for a moment.

She had not just fantasized about two naked Barry’s approaching her for a threesome. She had _not_.

“They say-” he squeaked, then stopped himself until he could speak clearly. She found it adorable. “They say usually a couple finds a third party that’s a stranger. So things aren’t awkward between them and the third person after the fact. So like, not a friend.”

“That’s what they say, huh?” she asked, coyly. Her fingers moved across the table of their own regard and slipped into his hand.

God, he was so adorable when he was flustered.

“Wait.” A thought occurred to her and her ministrations on his hand stopped. Barry’s face went white as a ghost. “Are you- Have _you_ had a threesome?”

“What? _Me_?” The squeakiness returned. “Never,” he said, his voice dropping an octave in an attempt to get rid of the pre-pubescent tone.

She was suddenly wary.

“But you want to,” she concluded, chills running up her legs and arm and sprinting across her shoulders.

“Of course not!” he said, scandalized, and she leaned back in her chair, confused.

“So, what was the point of the question then?”

He was avoiding eye contact again, and she could see he was truly torn. Did he want one or didn’t he? If it was just a question that didn’t mean anything, wouldn’t he say so? Maybe he wanted to just forget he’d brought it up and change the subject. She was becoming just as wary of the situation as he appeared to be.

“Uh…” She looked around the bowling alley, hunting for a distraction. “Do you want me to get another liter of Pepsi?” she offered. “We could play another round.” Her thumb jutted toward the lanes. “Or we could head over to the arcade.” She pointed across the room when his brows furrowed together.

He turned to look in the direction of the arcade for the longest time before he faced her again.

“That sound good? The arcade?” she asked, but even her voice was sounding strained.

“I’d love that,” he said, sounding so relieved.

“Great! Well then-”

“But I can’t,” he said, just as quick as she’d shot to her feet. She frowned and he tugged on her wrist. “Please sit down, Iris. There’s something I have to tell you.”

She was reluctant, but when she saw that most of the people in the room were at least five lanes away from them, she decided to obey.

“What is it?” she asked, her ankles twisting around each other and her calves clenching – as they tended to do when she got nervous. A different kind of butterflies swirled in her stomach, and she really hoped it was all her imagination and she hadn’t guessed correctly that things were about to go very, very wrong.

“I haven’t been…entirely honest with you.”

Her heart dropped.

“You have a girlfriend,” she said instantly.

He looked surprised at first, but then he relaxed.

“Ye….s. How’d you know?”

She blew a lock of hair out of her face and crossed her arms beneath her breasts, enhancing her cleavage. In the back of her mind, she knew that was on purpose.

“Lucky guess.”

“I’m really sorry, Iris. I know how it must have seemed.”

 _Like you were genuinely into me, you mean?!_ She wanted to shout, but she told herself to remain calm. They’d flirted, and his girlfriend would probably not be happy about that – if she ever found out – but they hadn’t kissed, he hadn’t initiated the date, they’d gone dutch for the food and drinks. Their lunch and bowling excursion truly could still pass as a hang-out between friends.

“It’s okay, Barry,” she said, her tone clipped but not cruel. “You never actually said you were single.” She took a breath. “Therefore, you didn’t lie to me.”

“I didn’t tell you the whole truth either though.” He winced.

She was quickly growing tired of his apology. She needed to get out, take a walk, clear her head, and give Stacy a thorough lecture on the dangers of setting her friends up on a date.

“At least you stopped before things got too far,” she said, trying to soothe him. _Not that he deserves it!_

He blinked, apparently confused.

“It felt like you were leading me on, Barry,” she said, deliberately soft so her voice wouldn’t rise. “I thought you were interested in me.”

“I was! I am! I-”

Now _she_ was confused. But then it clicked.

“Wait a minute. You want to have a threesome with your girlfriend, don’t you?” she accused.

His mouth fell open.

“And you want me to be your third party!” She shot to her feet.

“Iris-”

“You only wanted me for sex! You…you, asshole!”

She grabbed her purse and started walking towards the door, still in her bowling shoes.

“Wait! Iris!”

“Ohhh,” some teenagers called after him. “Boy is in trouble.” They sneered, the noise dissolving into cackles.

Iris walked even faster, her eyes filling with tears, because she’d genuinely, genuinely thought maybe fairytales could come true after all as the afternoon stretched on.

“Iris, stop!” He grabbed her arm and she spun around, the fiery rage in her eyes nearly killing him on the spot.

“I’m not going to be your third party. I suggest you and your girlfriend look elsewhere.”

She pulled herself free.

“But-”

“Bastard,” she muttered and disappeared through the door.

…

The trek back to school moved so slow for him. He’d been in no mood to be around people, so he’d decided to walk the long way – five miles through the country before the tall beautiful buildings at CCU could be seen more clearly.

He was sweaty and gross by the time he returned, and Cisco wasn’t in their room for him to vent to. He wanted to cry. But he was also really angry. He wanted to throw and break things and fall to the floor in anguished despair.

_Dramatic, much?_

He scoffed at his inside voice. He did not need further critique on how poorly things had gone today.

What he needed to do was take a deep breath, take a shower, take a nap, get dinner with Becky and explain things. He really did not want one of her stripper friends to be their third party, but maybe someone that looked nothing like Iris would put her out of his head. And after the threesome was over, maybe Becky would be satisfied again and their relationship would grow in the process. He could forget all about his revived feelings for Iris West.

…

“Hey, Babe.”

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he entered the room after showering, his hand flying over his heart when he saw Becky sitting in a chair near the foot of his bed, her knees crossed over each other as one foot bounced.

“Jesus, Becky.” He set his shower bag down and ran a hand through his hair. “Knock first, would ya?”

She raised her eyebrows, amused.

“I texted you.” She glanced over at his phone lying on the desk. “When you didn’t answer, I used my key to get in.”

 _Right. You gave her a key. That was a mistake_.

“Yeah. Sorry. Shower and all.”

“I understand,” she said coquettishly, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

He didn’t know if he could take flirty Becky tonight. Especially since he knew she would be turning into pissed-off Becky as soon as he reported to her what had happened.

“So, how’d it go?” she asked, flicking off her tennis shoes and plopping herself halfway up his bed, patting the spot beside her for him to sit.

Barry looked at it like it was a poisonous snake.

“Sit down, Barry.”

He met her eyes and her brows furrowed angrily.

“ _Sit_.”

He didn’t need her pissed any sooner than necessary, so he obeyed.

“Tell me what happened,” she said, her voice cheerful again.

He groaned and his head fell into his hands. He muffled something incoherent and despairing. Becky said nothing till he lifted his head again. He was afraid of the anger in her eyes, so it took him a long time to look at her straight-on again, but when he did, he saw nothing indicating wrath or lectures, which confused him further but also allowed him to put himself at ease.

“She said no?” she concluded.

That was a good a conclusion as any. Better than ‘I screwed up’ at any rate.

So, he nodded, no words tumbling past his lips.

She grabbed his chin between her two fingers and leaned forward close enough to kiss him, but she didn’t.

“It’s okay, honey. I got this.”

His brows furrowed simultaneously with his eyes widening, and he could only watch in amazement as she unplugged his laptop and sat it on her lap so they could both see.

“TripleBooty.com?” Barry asked, scrunching his nose as he read the url at the top of the page.

“As bad as it sounds, I’m afraid,” she said, “but worth all the money I pay for it, and best of all?” Her eyes glittered as she met his gaze. “No STDs.”

The implication was there. She’d used this website before. But he decided not to dwell on it.

“A website for arranging threesomes,” she announced, as if it hadn’t been obvious. She clicked the bar of the search engine parties. “Now, what’s her name?”

“Oh, she’s not gonna be on there, Becky.” He laughed wryly. “She hadn’t even considered a threesome until I asked her straight out about it today.”

She froze and looked at him. “You just asked her point-blank?”

“Well, yeah. I couldn’t drag it out any longer. It was killing me.”

She shook her head and clicked to another page.

“You are such a…choir boy.”

He knew it was supposed to be an insult, but he had in fact sung in the school choir every grade through high school, so it wasn’t really a lie either. Though he couldn’t remember if he’d told Becky that.

“Not that it mattered,” he muttered. “She accused me of leading her on anyway.”

Becky’s fingers froze above the keyboard.

“Did she now,” she whispered, almost to herself.

“Yeah,” he said, then frowned when he recognized Becky’s devious tone. “What?”

“You haven’t lost this girl yet, Barry.”

He turned towards her suddenly. “Wait, what do you mean?”

“She likes you,” she said, practically giddy. “She’s pissed at you now, but she definitely likes you, and you’ve just put the idea of a threesome in her head.”

“But she said that he wasn’t interested.”

She rolled her eyes.

“She’s probably more annoyed with herself for not guessing that you might have a girlfriend and letting herself fall for you.”

“F-Fall for me?”

“Mhmm. I mean, you didn’t cheat, right?” She spun to face him.

“N-No, Becky! Of course not! I didn’t initiate any dates, no kisses. I never said I was single.”

She smiled broadly.

“But she interpreted that you were because of how you acted around her.”

He shrugged. “I guess.”

“A girl does that if she’s interested. If she really wants you to be single.”

His eyes widened.

“Of course she feels too betrayed now to ever be interested in a relationship with you.” He frowned. “But getting her sexual frustration out in a safe no-strings-attached environment such as threesome with strangers? She might be up to that now.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Her smile shone brighter than a thousand suns.

“I’m Becky Elizabeth Cooper, bitch. I know what I’m doing.”

Barry was startled by the curse, but he wasn’t allowed time to recover from it.

“Now, tell me what she looks like.”

“Huh?”

She gestured towards the screen which showed an empty search form of what kind of partner you were looking for.

“Oh. Right. Um… dark hair, dark skin, dark eyes…about 5’2”, I think.”

“What does she like?”

“Coffee,” he said automatically. “And bowling.”

“Did she ever talk about any ex-boyfriends? What her type might be?”

He frowned, offended.

Becky rolled her eyes.

“I’m just trying to see if you’re her usual type or if she took a chance on you because her usual type has screwed her over in the past.”

“Oh. I don’t know.”

“Have you met anybody in her life?”

“We went on one-”

“Just answer the question, Barry.”

He sighed. “One person. Stacy. She’s a blonde barista that works with her at Jitters.”

“Jitters as in…CC Jitters?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay, last thing. What’s her name? And no but-but-but-ing about how she’s not on the site yet and probably wouldn’t even use her real name if she was. Trust me, it’s important.”

Barry sighed. “Iris.”

“Last?”

“West.”

“Iris We- No way.” She spun to face him. “The detective’s daughter?”

He frowned. “How do you-”

“You _are_ bold.” She smirked and returned to the computer.

Barry couldn’t think of a response to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No promises, but I am going to try to update at least once a month going forward.


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